


Monsters Attract

by BlackPepper3964



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, BAMF Higurashi Kagome, BAMF Loki, BAMF Tony Stark, Dark Kagome, Dark Loki, Dark Tony Stark, F/M, M/M, Mention and/or allusion to rape/non-con, Multi, Tony Being Tony, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-10
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-02-08 06:34:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 66,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1930341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackPepper3964/pseuds/BlackPepper3964
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark knows immediately that something is deeply wrong when he meets Kagome. He's always protected what was his, no matter what, and he's decided that Kagome is his. That means he'll do whatever it takes to free her. </p><p>But first, he's got to find her. Oh! Hey, Loki, want to help?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Where We First Met

Tony’s first thought when he saw Pepper, and recognised her, in that wonderful blue low-backed dress was very simply, ‘ _wow_ ’. And then Agent Phil Coulson arrived with someone that blew his mind - he could only observe. Long black hair, down to her waist, a black dress that fitted _very_ well, high heels that it made obvious that she under 5 ft 5”, and a pretty face. Then he looked in her stormy blue eyes, and suddenly felt a protective instinct rise up in him that surprised him in it’s ferocity. But he wasn’t surprised in the why. Those eyes reminded him of the cave, how he must have looked like before Yinsen gave him a purpose, but in an advanced form, maybe if he’d been beaten and ripped apart emotionally many times during that time.   
  
Her eyes, undoubtedly the most expressive part of her, relayed a different story to the rest of her body, in it’s confident stance and cool superiority. Eyes that well masked everything in a veneer of boredom but, to the practised eye, told a very different story. She looked at everyone with indifference, except Agent Coulson. Agent Coulson was looked at with a strange mixture of hope, fear and understanding. There was a darkness in them that suggested that she knew far too much, had been through too much, and had suffered deeply for it. Agent Coulson ignored her presence like she was never there, though he looked at her with an unreadable expression for a moment, and she flinched - just enough for it to be noticeable to any who paid attention.   
  
Then she finally looked at him in the eyes and he saw her expression change, just slightly, from bored indifference to _interest_. For a brief moment, he let the rage that had simmered under his skin from the moment he woke up in that cave, that violent, cornered-animal, instinctive rage, shine through his eyes. Her own widened and a smirk, darkly victorious, touched her lips, as she let out her own monster. He saw that it was stronger than his, taking up the entirety of her being when she dared to release it only a little, and he wondered how long she had been subject to whatever was happening - and it was obvious that it was an ongoing thing - and what would happen when she released it all. Would it destroy her as well as her enemies, or only her enemies?  
  
Obviously, Agent Coulson had noticed the exchange between them, for as quickly as they had done it, a smirk was still on the mystery woman’s lips and the monster was still visible for those that cared to look. And Agent Coulson had obviously cared to look. His eyes narrowed sharply as he looked at her and his right hand curled around her wrist gently. But Tony knew immediately that he was part of what was being done to this poor woman when she paled, her eyes went blank and the smirk vanished like it had never been there. His own monster growled under his skin, showing through his eyes for longer this time, and with more force. She noticed and swallowed with difficulty as something akin to hope flared in her eyes around the terror that had permeated them. She looked away with affected boredom. A silky smile appeared as she seemed to spot something, or someone. A impressive mask, even he wouldn’t have been able to see through it if he hadn’t seen her put it on. Her eyes were attentive and interested, none of the emptiness that was in them before.  
  
“If you will excuse me, gentlemen,” She purred lowly, practically radiating sex appeal and she lowered her lashes half-way. Agent Coulson looked at her in askance, and she smiled, ambiguity giving her leverage where she previously had none. He nodded his head, and she looked to Tony next. He put on his most gentle smile that looked somehow predatory and reached for her hand. She gave it and he held it to his lips in a light kiss.   
  
“Leaving so soon, darling?” He asked teasingly. “I don’t believe I know your name.” She rose one eyebrow. _Try harder. I’m not so easy_ , was what he got from that, so he did. “Might I have the pleasure of hearing it, so I may know what I may call you in my dreams?” She smiled a bit more genuinely and nodded her head graciously.  
  
“You may.” Her eyes glistened with light, and she was turned so Coulson couldn’t see anything. “My name is Kagome.” His eyebrows rose.   
  
“No last name?” He asked, disappointed. She grinned secretively. Delight and power radiated from her eyes, something that she obviously didn’t have enough of, despite that fact that he knew there was something… unearthly about her, about that light that shone in her eyes.  
  
“I have no last name.” Purple light shone for an instant in her eyes and he knew that he hadn’t imagined it when she winked at him. “I am my own.” The words had a strange authority and power and Tony found himself captivated by her. She saw his besotted expression that he knew he must be making, and softened. With not a look at Coulson, who now looked incredibly suspicious, she leaned forward, her monster in her eyes at it looked at him in approval. “We will meet again, worry not, Tony Stark.” Then she winked and pulled her hand back, bowing slightly to both men, and glided gracefully away, making a beeline, he noticed, for Pepper.   
  
His attention was grabbed by Agent Coulson calling his name. “Mr. Stark.” He then carried on talking, but Tony had stopped listening. He was too busy watching as Kagome walked up to Pepper and, still radiating that sex appeal, asked her to dance. Pepper turned around as looked as if she was going to protest, but then she looked at who was asking, and did a double take. She seemed to be unaware that she’d accepted until she was dragged away from the people she was talking with and into the middle of the floor. She appeared flustered as Kagome curled her right arm around her waist, her grip firm but gentle, and the left hand held Pepper’s right as she began to dance. Pepper automatically put her left hand on Kagome’s right shoulder. They were silent for a moment, but then Kagome said something and Pepper smiled, embarrassed, as she responded. He vaguely heard Coulson mention a time and date as Pepper was lead away by Kagome to the stairs leading to the roof. He absentmindedly agreed and shook the Agent’s hand, trying to ignore the slimy feeling he got when he suddenly remembered Kagome’s face when the man hand curled the same hand around her wrist. He registered Coulson walking away and turned back to the bar, ordering three drinks that he planned to take to the roof.   
  
While he was waiting, he saw the reporter he’d slept with and inwardly groaned. Great. He turned away, pretending he hadn’t seen her, but she made right for him. She showed him the pictures and suddenly he forgot all about Kagome, and Pepper, and Coulson. All he could focus on was that someone inside _his_ company had betrayed him. He inwardly cursed that he didn’t pay enough attention to his shipments when he got back home. He had wondered how the Ten Rings had gotten hold of so many of his weapons. And the fact that they were taken yesterday… oh, the self-loathing.   
  
He went and confronted Obie, hoping he would reassure him, tell him that he’d help Tony find whoever had betrayed him, but instead found out that it was _Obie_ \- no, _Stane_ \- that had betrayed him, even going to far as to file an injunction against him and then - and then proclaim that he was doing it for Tony’s own good and protection. 

Oh, how the monster roared in his head then, and he knew that the next time that he and Kagome met, there would be more to show her, just as she would have more to show him. But first…  
  
Time to deal with first his weapons… and then Obidiah Stane.  
  
  



	2. An Alliance Can Be Made

Kagome had said they’d meet again, but after Vanko, Tony doubted it and was then was called in one year and three and a half months after they met. Pepper and he had acknowledged that they had potential, but they both knew that she didn’t understand him as well as she used to and there would be so much stress involved with not only dating a world-renowned playboy and billionaire, but also Iron Man as well - the stress would tear them apart. He never told her about his infatuation and fascination with Kagome, whom they both met in the same night, and she never said what she did up on the roof, though she didn’t know that he was there. They were now closer friends than ever and they were celebrating the lighting up of Stark Tower, when Coulson interrupted.   
  
The man still angered him, his blank expression and unruffled demeanour. Hated all he represented over a year ago, and probably still did represent. Tony still remember the blank fear and emptiness in Kagome’s eyes. He’d searched everywhere for a hint of Kagome - the only place he hadn’t checked yet was the SHIELD helicarrier for anything, and that was because he had to have manual access for it.  
  
He looked over the information and realised that the threat was real. He turned to where Pepper and Coulson stood talking, minimising the projection.  
  
“Hey, Coulson, do you mind giving Pepper a lift to the airport? She has to be in DC for tomorrow for a meeting.” He said, feeling his monster purr in anticipation. Pepper looked at him shocked.  
  
“How did you remember that? Why couldn’t you remember your own meetings?” He winked at her, despite how serious he felt himself becoming.  
  
“Maybe I just had better things to be doing.” Pepper groaned. He smiled tightly. “I’ll see you soon, Pep. I’ve just got this bit of consulting work to do, and then I’ll be back in my workshop.” He assured with a confidence he didn’t feel. Pepper nodded and he felt momentary guilt from the lie. He locked gazes with Agent and the other man nodded, knowing to keep her safe. He dismissed them both with a wave and him turning back to the folder, his features darkening as he did so. Pepper called out a goodbye, but he didn’t reply, enlarging the projection again and focussing on the Tesseract - that cube of pure energy his dad had found while trying to find Steve Rodgers. He snorted. Typical that he was found over fifteen years after ‘dear old dad’s’ death.   
  
He spent that night reading Selvig’s research into the Tesseract. It was mildly interesting, but he was more interested in Dr. Banner. His research in Gamma radiation and anti-electron collisions was simply brilliant. His ability to turn into a giant green rage monster earned some brownie points too. Just when he was starting to get into it, he got a call to go to Stuttgart in Germany as Loki was there. He called Jarvis to prep the suit and went to change out of his workshop clothes and into something more suited to be in public around.

  
When he got there, he noticed the famous Captain America fighting ‘Loki of Asgard’ and loosing miserably. With a sigh he overrode the PA system of the quinjet with awesome music and landed heavily - more heavily than necessary, he knew - on the pavement, cracking it slightly. He immediately attacked, and was surprised when Loki, for how hard he was apparently fighting earlier, just gave up. Behind the faceplate of his suit, Tony narrowed his eyes, knowing that the trickster God was up to something that he knew he wouldn’t like. He shrugged though, when no one else seemed to realise it. Apart from Steve, maybe. He didn’t seem to realise that Loki had a _plan_ , as such, just that it was too easy, as he mentioned when they were all on board. 

Tony took his helmet off and looked at this so-called God, and took pains to try to catch his eyes. He wanted to know what kind of man he was. Loki did a cursory look around the area, noticing the eyes on him. Tony let his monster roam free on his face for a few moments, watching as Loki recognised that and Tony was left stunned at the scope of Loki’s monster, which was on par from what he’d seen in Kagome, as he let his roam free as well. Tony smirked and nodded in acknowledgement, getting one in return. Just monsters acknowledging each other, and maybe a bit of respect.  
  
Then thunder and lightning had crackled overhead, and Loki’s monster reared up, both in defence and alarm. Tony hid his own away just in time for Steve to look at him as he asked Loki if he was scared.  
  
“I’m not overly fond of what follows.”  
  
Twenty minutes later, and Tony halfway sympathises with Loki, and he understands completely what he meant. _That much_ optimism… no. He doesn’t understand why Loki hung around with this guy for so long. He’d heard their entire conversation via a bug he’d placed on Loki when they’d captured him, ready for when they locked him away - Tony wanted to know what was said to the God, how it was said, and when it was said. He especially enjoyed the comment Loki made after Tony had tackled Thor. 

“You listen well, brother…”   
  
“I’m listening.”   
  
The only thing that still put him on edge was the fact that Loki hadn’t taken the chance to escape. His eyes narrowed, but resigned himself to not knowing and no one else being suspicious. He dropped of the suit in the room it was apparently supposed to go in and made his way to the bridge. He grinned and rubbed his hands together on the way, probably freaking out a lot of agents, but that was a bonus anyway. He couldn’t wait to find out what kind of secrets SHIELD was trying to hide from him… and the rest of America. Maybe he’d find out about Kagome as well.  
  
Jarvis alerted him that Loki is being spoken to, so he stopped in the corridor and listens. Fury spoke first.  
  
“In case it's unclear, you try to escape, you so much as _scratch_ that glass? Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works? Ant. Boot.” And he heard Loki’s smirk as he replied.

“It’s an impressive cage.” He paused, building the tension. “Not built, I think, for me.”   
  
“Built for someone a lot stronger than you.” And Tony felt anger again, because he knows exactly who Fury means. So does Loki, apparently.  
  
“Oh, I’ve heard. The mindless beast, makes play to be a man.” Tony noted the careful omission of the word monster, and knew it was because monsters are always hidden away, not in plain sight, always to be used at a later date in a controlled fashion. Then Loki’s voice turned scathing. “How desperate are you? You call on such lost creatures to defend you.”  
  
“How _desperate_ am I? You threaten my world with war, you steal a force you can’t hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill because it’s fun. You have made me very desperate.” He paused. “You may not be glad that you did.” Tony frowned, thinking to himself that Fury’s got this all wrong, he’s making assumptions that are totally contradictory. For one, Loki’s only killed about eighty people in the last two days - as far as Tony’s concerned, that’s restraint, as he killed about ninety-four in half an hour when he escaped from those terrorists. Nor has Loki _actually_ threatened anybody with war, only that he was going to rule Earth. Also, Tony’s pretty sure from Loki’s conversation with Thor that he can, in fact, control the Tesseract.

To be honest, it sounds like most of this stuff is being made up on the spot, made to seem worse than it is, because - please, God, correct him if he’s wrong - _Fury_ can’t hope to control the Tesseract, and technically, from what he understands from the Norse Mythology, that cube of energy actually belongs to Odin All-Father. Though he suspected that the Mythology isn’t completely accurate, considering that in that, Loki is Odin’s blood-brother, not his - apparently - adopted son, judging by what Thor has said about ‘putting an end to his brother’s schemes’ and that the two look nothing alike. He was willing to bet that Loki’s still a frost giant.  
  
He grinned when Loki spoke again with the relish of someone that cherished getting under someone else’s skin. “Ooh. It _burns_ you to have come so _close_. To have the Tesseract, to have power - to have _unlimited_ power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share.” He mocked, with obvious derision, and then his voice darkened with what Tony thought was experience and recently made memories. “And then to be reminded about what real power is.” Fury remains unruffled by what Loki has said, it seems, when he next speaks, obviously choosing to ignore what Loki said.  
  
“Well, let me know if ‘ _real power_ ’ wants a magazine or something.” There’s the sound of Fury walking out. For some reason, Tony can feel Loki’s amusement clearly through the silence, though he might just be projecting. He knew that, from the tone of Loki’s voice, that he wasn’t talking about himself when it comes to real power, and a question forms in Tony’s mind that he now desperately wants answered. He wondered if can organise a meeting with Loki with Jarvis. First though, he’ll have to get the AI connected up to the mainframe.  
  
He meets up with Coulson in the corridor and chatted about his Captain America cards, and then about his cellist in Portland. As they enter the bridge, he finished up with, “Look, just take a weekend. I’ll _fly you_ to Portland.” And receives a dismissive look in return as the agent goes to stand at the back of the room. The rest of the rag-tag group that he assumed will be called the Avengers were wondering why the iridium need to be stolen. He told them it’s a stabilising agent so the portal won’t collapse like at the PEGASUS research facility, mocked the agents and Fury while discreetly giving Jarvis direct access into the mainframe and finally meets Dr. Banner in person and told him what he likes so much about the recessive doctor. Then he joined the doctor in the helicarrier lab - which isn’t too bad when it comes to tech, but he still stands that his workshop is better.  
  
He and Banner bond really well, sparks flew between him and Steve - and not in the good way - and he gives comforting a go with Bruce about the Hulk before taking a bathroom break. On his way there, he took a detour and arranged Jarvis to set the cameras in Loki’s cell on a two minute loop that actually connects so it doesn‘t look off.   
  
Then he walked in and greets with, “Hey, don’t move - I’ve set the cameras on a loop and it is _so_ awkward to explain a jump in a security camera that was working fine just moments ago.” A bemused smile lifts Loki’s lips.  
  
“Stark, was it?” Tony waved it away.  
  
“Just call me Tony.” He stopped in front of the door. “I have three questions, if you’d be so gracious as to answer.” Loki looked stunned for a moment at the directness of the statement.   
  
“I can’t promise anything, but I suppose so.” He smiled, amused. Tony smiled in return.   
  
“Awesome. I can understand that this is a sensitive subject for you, but I’d appreciate an answer all the same.” Loki‘s face shifted into a frown, cautious now about what he‘s going to be asked. “I know you’re pulling Barton and Selvig’s strings, but, Loki… who’s pulling _yours_?” The God’s eyes flicker to blue for a moment before the monster in him rises and he snarls.   
  
“You dare imply that I am being controlled?” He hissed in outrage. Tony shrugged, now having all of the data he needed for that question.   
  
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t answer. Just thought I’d ask.” Loki stopped immediately, looking shocked.   
  
“Does anyone know you’re doing this?” He asked, the amusement coming back and Tony smirks wickedly.   
  
“Nope. This is just between you and me. No one else needs to know.” Loki nodded with a slightly flirtatious air.  
  
“I feel flattered.” He said dryly. “Next question.” Tony nodded.  
  
“Why didn’t you put up more of a fight, even try to escape when we were in Stuttgart and the forest?” Loki opened his mouth with a smirk, but Tony carried on talking as he began to pace, his body needing movement as his mind raced. “I mean, I know it’s part of your great ‘master plan’, but honestly, for how show-off-y you’ve been lately, your performance has been, quite frankly, shit. One would think that you _wanted_ someone to notice.” Loki opened his mouth again to answer the apparent question.  
  
“Tony.” Tony waved his hand at him, still pacing, in a dismissive gesture.  
  
“Shut up and stand there. All I need is for you to be quiet while I use my brilliant brain to figure this out and stop your overly optimistic brother from taking you back to Asgard, when you clearly don’t want to go.” He paused in his pacing for a moment, clearly having lost track.  
  
“But -” Tony glared at him and Loki sighed, resigning himself to being silent. He began to pace again.  
  
“Thank you. Now… ah, yes. Someone noticing.” The inventor sighed in despair. “Honestly, this group has no one as intelligent as me in it - or even someone with brains. Why has no one noticed yet that you have a plan that involves getting captured? And if your planning on getting captured… then a rescue is coming as well.” He stops suddenly, excitement written all over his face. “Oh, of course.” He trailed off. Then a look that Loki could only describe as lust rose in his eyes. He groaned in pleasure. “God, I think I love the way you mind works.” He licked his lips, and looked the God up and down in a clear leer. “So… twisted and complicated. And so _smart_.” Loki flushed lightly. He had no idea what was going on, but something about the billionaire’s tone caught his attention, and he suddenly noticed that he was rather attractive, even by Aesir standards. Tony smirked. “Say, when we fix this lot up… what do you say if we meet in a slightly different way, like… in my Tower, with a few drinks.” Loki’s eyebrows rose.  
  
“I think I could bear to pop in for a while.” He smirked in return. “Your third question?” Tony lifted a hand and ran it through his hair.  
  
“This one actually has no bearing on our world issue, now.” Curiosity peaked, Loki leaned forward slightly. “I was wondering if you were inclined to aid me in a little search. She is… incredibly interesting and she has a monster that is so…” He broke off with a strangled sound. He shook his head to regain his thoughts a little. “She’s being held by SHIELD somewhere - on this helicarrier, I believe - and I’ve got a thing against torture and experiments done on people without consent -” Tony didn’t miss how Loki’s eyes narrowed and he flinched and was glad that he wasn’t the only one that hated it. “- so you can understand that I want to find her, shelter her and her enormously beautiful monster. I also have started to a bit of a vendetta against SHIELD for doing it.” He gave Loki a meaningful look. “And one Agent Phil Coulson in particular for allowing it to happen, despite the obvious hope she had that he would help her to be free.” Loki smirked darkly, his monster curling behind his eyes in anticipation.   
  
“My pleasure.” He said, green eyes flashing. Tony cleared his throat against the sudden thrill of arousal that shot through his body at that look. _Damn_ his attraction to danger.  
  
“But yes, my question is if you would be willing to also experiment a little.” He frowned. “If they haven’t ruined her completely. If so,” His features darkened. “I’ll destroy them all. Slowly, and with as much ruthlessness as I can manage.” His eyes glinted. “I won’t use the suit either.” He muttered and Loki grinned.  
  
“I believe we have an accord, Tony Stark. I will help you find this woman and perhaps stick around for a while. Do you know this woman’s name?” Tony smiled gently, his eyes softening, to the shock of Loki, who hadn’t expected him to be so… besotted with this woman.   
  
“I do. Kagome.” It was the first time he’d said her name out loud since he’d learned it and he found he enjoyed the way it curled around his tongue. “She said she doesn’t have a last name - she is her own.” One of Loki’s eyebrows rose. Curious.  
  
“Thank you, I will do my best to be quick.” Tony nodded and then began to walk away.  
  
“Well than, Loki, it was nice doing business with you and I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay.” He reached the door, opened it, turned back, and gave a bow, prompting a laugh, before shutting it completely. He made his way to the bathroom as he planned and then made his way back to the lab he was sharing with Bruce.  
  
Then everything was manic and chaotic and violent. It all went to hell and he loved it.  
  
  



	3. The... Battle?

He loved the fact that he pretty much knew what Loki was planning and had even managed to add to his plans slightly.  He’d never counted himself as a hero. He protected what was his, destroyed that which threatened them, and then went back to being an asshole to those he protected and loved. That was what he did. And if he killed those that threatened what was his when he could just as easily knock them out? Well, he always preferred to call himself Chaotic Neutral.   
  
Jarvis had managed to hack all the way through the SHIELD helicarrier system and had found some interesting projects relating to the Tesseract. Then Nicky-boy came in demanding to know what was going on.  
  
So he asked him, “What _is_ Phase Two?” Then watched as Steve - good old soldier Steve - came in with an explanation before Fury and a witty comment that actually slightly impressed him. Fury tried to keep the soldier on his side, but Steve’s disappointment is a tangible thing.  
  
Fury makes an excuse and Tony counters it - “I’m sorry, Nick, what were you lying?” - and is then himself faced with Disappointed Steve and then Angry Steve. Tony, being the witty and sharp-tongued asshole he is, makes a counter comment for every one of Steve’s, until everything explodes. Literally.   
  
Tony has never been more happy for a life-and-death situation in his life. But even then, it’s not even his death. It’s everyone that works on the helicarrier, everyone here works for SHIELD, so he’s not particularly pleased with them, but then Dr. Banner is also on this aircraft and then Loki and possibly Kagome as well. He’s not about to let this massive thing crash. So he and Steve began to fix the cursed thing. Of course, Tony should have known that Steve wouldn’t have a clue what he was doing, but hey, he’s focussing on saving the lives of about two hundred and fifty people or more.   
  
“It seems to run on some kind of electricity.” Was what had followed Captain America’s exasperated sigh. Tony resisted the urge to laugh at him. Barely. By a hair.  
  
“Well, you’re not wrong.” He offered cheerfully, but it didn’t help him in his job, so he had Jarvis bring up the system. It took him twenty minutes - or thereabouts, he’s not particularly sure - for him to fix the propeller and get it started again. He saved Steve from a bad guy, and then received the best news all day since the recently made alliance with Loki.  
  
“Agent Coulson is down.” And his monster almost exploded in joy with a triumphant roar. He schooled his face before he could break out into a grin, but he made a note to thank Loki profusely next time he saw him. But he made his way to the bridge after removing his suit in solemn silence. He ignored everything that was said until his name was mentioned.  
  
“… Stark knows this.” Did he? He felt his lips start to twitch into a smile and restrained himself. Again. “Called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more.” _Yeah, Nick_ , he thought, _we became more like, as Bruce said, a time bomb. I’d say that is more_. “See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles we never could.” Tony frowned deeply. Thought about the lies and secrets and wanted to snort in disbelief. “Phil Coulson died -” _Good_. “- still believing in that idea. In heroes.” The satisfaction the monster had felt since learning about the agent’s death vanished, and it roared in outrage again. How dare he? How dare Fury say that, as if Coulson was a good man, a hero in his own right? He got up and left before he snarled in rage and got himself killed before he could do anything to help Kagome - or even find her.   
  
He went to Loki’s cell room, and spotted the bloodstain that he assumed was Coulson’s. He grinned savagely at it, showing his teeth and darkness shining in his eyes. He walked up the steps, grin fading and looked down the hole that Loki had sent Thor down into.  
  
“Was he married?” Steve. Why bother asking that? It is isn’t relatable data, nor is it the key to winning this battle. He answered anyway, keeping his face away from Steve’s view. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hide the monster right now, still fuming over what Fury had said.   
  
“No, there was… a cellist, I think.” There was silence before Steve spoke again.  
  
“I’m sorry, he seemed like a good man.” This time, Tiny couldn’t hold back a snort. A good man? He works for SHIELD for goodness’ sake!   
  
“He was an idiot.” _Yes_ , he thought to himself, _he was an idiot for not suspecting I’d get to him sooner or later, whether it was myself, or someone I’d either paid or made an alliance with._ He and Steve continued until Steve mentioned something that got the inventors hackles up.  
  
“He was doing his job.” Tony sneered. Yeah, he was certain that the man had been ‘doing his job’. And, of course, lacking something called morals and a conscience. Tony, at least, had morals, even if they were a little twisted, and a conscience, even if he sometimes chose to ignore it. He told Steve some kind of lie to make him believe that Tony actually gave a shit that Coulson was dead, and was anything but pleased. And then he walked away, but of course, Steve just couldn’t let it lie.   
  
“Is this the first time you’ve lost a soldier?” Tony span around, glaring at Steve harshly, his eyes so dark they were practically black. Steve looked shocked, but he was the good little soldier enough that he overlooked it.  
  
“We are _not_ soldiers!” He hissed angrily. He forcibly calmed himself and focussed a little. “I’m not marching to Fury’s fife.” Steve nodded in approval.  
  
“Neither am I. He’s got the same blood on his hands that Loki does.” Tony felt a surprised laugh rise in his throat and pushed it down. Loki’s only killed about ninety people, now, in three or four days, and he’s willing to bet that Loki himself did less than a third himself, the rest were probably circumstantial and the people he’d gotten under his control. Speaking of the control, Tony did find that a bit creepy, but he knew that wasn’t a natural thing for Loki. He seemed the type to manipulate people into doing things without them realising they were doing it. Steve started going on about some kind of strategic thing that Tony had absolutely no interest in, and suddenly zeroed in on the bloodstain.   
  
“He made it personal.” Ohh, he was so clever, Tony was thinking that he and Loki will get on really well in the near future. A plan within a plan within a plan. God, he loved that brain. But Tony had a plan within a plan too - and wasn’t it so lucky that it coincided with Loki’s?  
  
Steve was obviously confused, but went on being stubborn and not acknowledging that Tony was smarter than him when it came to unravelling plans. Sure, Steve had had experience in actually war, but Tony had been brilliant at outsmarting people and figuring out their plans since he was fourteen, when he realised that people always wanted things from him because he was the son of a very rich man. He thought that Steve should let go of some of that ego - he was only twenty years old for goodness sake and had only had the serum - technically - for eleven months now.   
  
“That’s not the point.” Oh, the ignorance of youth.  
  
“That is the point. That’s Loki’s point.” He insisted, still working on the plan in his head. “He hit us all right where we live. Why?”  
  
“To tear us apart.” God, Tony wanted to roll his eyes so hard right now. The logic in that sentence didn’t make any sense.  
  
“Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but he knows he has to take us out win, right? That’s what he wants. He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it.” Actually, Tony knew, Loki wanted the Avengers to win, so he’s been deliberately loosing this whole time, giving hints, defying the control he’s been placed under subtly. Plus, this city being where they live, it’ll be great for their publicity. Also, Steve is so easy to lie to, to manipulate. “He wants an audience.” The younger man nodded in understanding.  
  
“Right. I caught his act in Stuttgart.” Tony nodded.  
  
“Yea, but that was just previews. This is… this is opening night. And Loki, he’s a full-tilt diva.” He is if all of his plans are this easy to see through, it looks complicated, but it is so simple. He doesn’t think so though, so deception is best spoken with half-truths. “He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the _skies_ with his name plast-” Tony stopped with sudden clarity of what Loki was going to do. “Son of a bitch.” He rushed to get to his suit that he first had to fix before they went anywhere.   
  
He worked as fast as he could and got in the suit. The rest of the team, with the exception of Bruce, or course, but he had high hopes for that man, took the quinjet to his Tower. It was infinitely slower, so he just sped ahead.   
  
On the way, he had a thought. “Hey, Jarvis, what about that bug?”   
  
“I’m sorry, sir. The bug was removed after Loki’s final conversation with Agent Coulson, when the agent used a weapon to blast him through a wall before he died.” Tony quirked his lips. Cool. “However, sir, Loki is near the helipad outside your penthouse.”   
  
“Thanks, Jarvis, keep me posted.” He got closer and saw that the Tesseract had been set up in some kind off device. He also saw Selvig, set up with some kind of computer that looked forty years old.  
  
“I have shut off the arc reactor. The device is already self-sustaining.” Jarvis informed him. Well damn.   
  
“Shut it down, Dr. Selvig.” Tony called through the PA system. He watched the doctor turn around and was kind of freaked out by the bright blue eyes that made it look like he was wearing contact lenses.   
  
“It’s too late. You can’t stop it.” Selvig seemed like he was trying to smile in happiness. “She wants to show us something. A new universe.” Tony grimaced.  
  
“Okay.” He took the initiative and tried to destroy it with a repulsor blast. It failed, of course, epically, but it was worth a try. He was blown away, but he steadied himself with little effort.  
  
“That barrier is pure energy. It is unbreachable.”   
  
“Yeah, I got that.” He turned and saw Loki, just as Jarvis said, outside his penthouse. “Plan B.” If his AI had a body, he would be frowning at Tony right now.   
  
“Sir, the Mark 7 is not ready for deployment.” He sighed, annoyed at the inconvenience.  
  
“Then skip the spinning rims, we’re on the clock.” He said impatiently as he lowered himself to the helipad and had Jarvis remove his suit. He and the trickster God shared a look as they matched, step for step, to walk inside.   
  
“Do you think you can prevent the battle?” Tony felt a smile forming on his face at what Loki what chosen to open with.   
  
“No, but maybe… I can get you to do it.” Loki frowned.  
  
“What?” Tony walked towards him slowly.   
  
“We have a deal. I don’t want you going up to Asgard to sit out a long-ass punishment, and I don’t have the patience to wait that long. You don’t want to go back to Asgard either, I’m willing to bet. But,” He shrugged. “You said you’d help me, and then we’d all help each other.” Loki scowled, eyes flashing, and suddenly Tony noticed that his eyes were blue. “Jarv, be so kind.” He saw Loki’s brow furrow in confusion before a solid metal ball hit him in the back of the head. The God went down like a sack of bricks. Tony felt a little bit of worry, but knew that it took much more than a steel bar to concuss a God - therefore they needed to be hit a little bit harder. The Mark 7 was deployed and wrapped safely around Tony. He grabbed the sceptre and flew out the window.   
  
“Selvig.” The doctor looked up from where he was lying on the ground, eyes back to their normal brown. Huh, Tony had forgotten that Selvig had also been in blasting range earlier and must have been knocked out. “How do I shut it off?”   
  
“The Tesseract can’t protect against itself. The sceptre is an extension. I had enough control that I installed a fail-safe without Loki knowing.” Somehow Tony doubted that. “Put the tip right in the centre.” Tony nodded and used the extra strength from the suit to put it into the centre. There was a whirring sound, before the pure energy barrier dissolved.   
  
Well, that was anti-climactic. Tony somehow expected more. All he hoped was that whatever was on the other side of the Tesseract got the backlash of the sudden power down. The sceptre’s stone itself had stopped glowing completely, but just to be safe, he resolved to destroy it later. He turned back to Selvig. “Thank you.” The doctor raised his hand in a dismissive gesture. “I assume you know your way back down to the penthouse?” Selvig nodded and rested his head back down onto the concrete. Tony shrugged and flew back down to the penthouse. Loki was still out, but that didn’t really matter. He got the Mark 7 suit off and went to his bar to get a drink. He felt he deserved it. He was about to walk away from bar, when he had a sudden bout of courtesy and got another glass, pouring a bit of whiskey in it. He carried both glasses to the sofa and set the whiskey in front of him on the table.   
  
He debated for a moment picking up the God and carrying him to the sofa so he’d be more comfortable. His decision was taken from him when said God groaned and got up slowly, holding one hand to his head, hissing in remaining plain. He soon stopped though, so he supposed it was those frost giant genes that healed him quickly.   
  
“Back, are we?” Loki’s head shot up at the sound of Tony’s voice, looking for the source. When he knew Loki had spotted him, Tony gave a wave with the hand holding the glass. “Want one?” He motioned to the glass on the table. Loki gave a smile.  
  
“Well, we are at your Tower in your penthouse, so I might as well.” He said referring to the conversation they had earlier. He got up and sat himself on the sofa next to Tony, taking the glass from the table and taking a sip. Tony nudged him gently.  
  
“By the way, thank you for dealing with Coulson. It was satisfying.” He said, glancing sideways at the God. Loki nodded in response.  
  
“It was deeply enjoyable. I literally stabbed him in the back.” Tony chuckled and was about to reply, when Jarvis gave a small beep.   
  
“I’m sorry sir, but the Avengers wish to know your whereabouts and are worried that you aren’t responding to your communicator.” Tony’s brow furrowed.   
  
“Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about them.” He grinned. “They still don’t know that you were under the control of… whoever it was… through the Tesseract.” Loki frowned at him then.   
  
“How did you know?” The inventor snorted.  
  
“When I asked about it, your eyes went blue for a second and then you snarled at me for daring to suggest that anything could control you.” Loki grinned a little sheepishly in reply. “Go ahead Jarv, put them on.” As soon as he said that, there was a babble of questions. “Whoa, guys. One at a time! I’m not able, for all of my brilliance, to hear all of you when you all speak over each other.” There was a pause, and then laughter.   
  
“Well, Stark,” Came Natasha’s voice. “At least we know you’re not under mind control.” Tony laughed.  
  
“Yeah, there’s not going to be a battle either.” He said it so casually, no one seemed to realise what he’d said for a moment.  
  
“What do you mean, Man of Iron?” Tony pushed down a grimace at the butchering of his name at the hands of Thor. Loki’s quiet chuckle told him he wasn’t entirely successful. He concluded that Thor must have met up with his team-mates and wondered if they were still in the quinjet.  
  
“Loki was under mind control too. His eyes were blue whenever he was holding onto the sceptre, and when not, it was still clear that he was being guided. I went and spoke to him, asked who was controlling him, and his eyes went blue for a second before he basically exploded at me.” There was silence. “What, you actually think he’s capable of this much killing? Of that desire for a throne, any throne?” Loki piped up then.  
  
“I did tell you, Thor, did I not? When we were at the Bifrost, that I never wanted the throne, only to be your equal?” There was more silence, but then Thor agreed.  
  
“I had forgotten that, brother! It is true you said that.”   
  
Tony smiled, a twist to his mouth that no one but he and Loki could see, one that was sharp and had a satisfied edge. “Not to derail the issue, but has Banner turned up yet?”  
  
“I’m here.” Tony grinned.  
  
“Science-bro! I knew you’d come! See, I told you you’d be suiting up with the rest of us!” Bruce chuckled. “Hey, come to the Tower. I think this conversation is best had face to face.” His voice darkened. “I don’t want any weapons in my penthouse, though. If Jarvis catches you, you’re not getting in this room.” There was another pause. Jeez, what about that sentence was difficult to comprehend?  
  
“Why?” Clint asked. Tony smirked darkly, but affected a cheerful, if whiny voice.  
  
“I don’t want to risk my lovely new building being ruined, especially this room! Do you know how much this place cost?” There was a bit of laughter, and Tony knew that they weren’t suspicious of him anymore - he was just being himself as far as they were concerned. While they waited for the rest of the team and Selvig, whenever he was going to show up, to show up, Tony and Loki shared a dark look. Honestly, normal people are _idiots_.   
  
  



	4. A Bargain Is Struck

“You can’t be serious!” Steve said, loudly protesting to the idea that Loki should stay on Earth - Midgard.   
  
“He should be put where he belongs - Asgard. Let them deal with him.” Natasha added in. Thor’s face was grave. Tony had put forth a very convincing argument. In Asgard, Loki would be imprisoned for God knows how long and then watched very carefully for several centuries. There would be no excuse, not even that fact that he was being controlled by a being that is stronger than he is. On Midgard, they take into account if someone is being forced to do something and give them a lesser sentence.   
  
Clint looked torn. “I don’t know guys, maybe he could stay a little while - help the Avengers or something. Give him a bit of time to get his head on straight.” Loki nodded in gratitude. Tony may have noticed it in the first place, but Clint knew what it was like. Banner nodded as well.  
  
“I agree with Tony and Clint. Earth is fairer, it seems, when it comes to punishment. He may have killed a lot of people, but he was under the control of another - it would be like punishing Clint for something he technically didn’t do.” Tony grinned at his science bro. Thor nodded slowly.  
  
“I am beginning to see that Asgard can be somewhat harsh in punishments, though perhaps not my own - I needed the push and experience.” He smiled wryly. “I did start a war, after all.” He paused. “Loki can stay here. I shall return to Asgard and talk to father about him serving out the sentence here, as Earth judges.” He moved to the balcony and began to swing him hammer. “Fare thee well, shield brothers and sister. I shall return.” And he was off.   
  
The Avengers looked at each other for a moment. Then Tony grinned. “Hey! You could all move in! I have enough space, and then we could rename the Tower the Avenger’s Tower!” Laughter was his response and he pouted. “What? Don’t you want to move in?” Bruce nodded thoughtfully.  
  
“I think it’d be nice, to have somewhere to live.” Tony looked surprised for a second, and then nodded.  
  
“You’ll all be protected here. No one is getting at you.” He shrugged. “You don’t have to, I’m just offering. Although,” His face twisted. “It’d be weird with only some of you here and not the rest. And I’m sure you all can’t resist being around me, who could?” More laughter and it was agreed. The Avengers were moving in. Awesome. Tony turned to Loki. “What about you, Loki? You’re welcome too.” Loki inclined his head.  
  
“I’d be most grateful, Tony.” Tony nodded his head with a wide smile.  
  
“Great! Now all of you get out.” Everyone laughed and got up to sort out their belongings. Loki made to get up with a look of confusion, but was stopped with a hand on his arm. Tony wasn’t looking at him, but out of his window. “Not you.” He said quietly. Loki’s brow furrowed.  
  
“Why?” Tony looked at him from the corner of his eye, utterly serious.   
  
“We’ve got to talk to Fury about you staying here.” Loki grimaced. “My thoughts exactly.” Tony took a deep breath. “Jarvis, get Director Fury on video call.”   
  
“Of course, sir.” Tony got up, glass still in hand, and went to the bar. He was pouring himself another drink when Fury’s unyielding expression appeared in front of him.   
  
“What’s this about, Stark?” He grumbled. “Have you captured Loki yet?” Tony smiled charmingly.  
  
“What, no hello? Hi, how are you doing? Not dead yet?” Fury scowled, not amused.  
  
“Somehow death keeps on missing you.” Tony chuckled, his smile twisting into something darker.  
  
“What can I say? She loves me. I get close to her, we have a little kiss, and then she bids me farewell.” His eyes darkened. “We enjoy the dance.” Loki’s eyes narrowed. There was something he was missing, something he had a feeling he’d find out, eventually. There was a wealth of experience in those words, something haunted, and Loki was determined to find out. Fury rolled his eyes.  
  
“Yes, Stark, very good. Have you found Loki or not?” Tony’s cheerful persona was back.  
  
“Why, of course!” He pouted playfully, lifting a hand to his chest as if he was hurt. “Your lack of faith in me is painful.” Over the audio, Loki and Tony could hear the Director’s teeth grinding.   
  
“Well, where is he?” The inventor grinned.   
  
“Here in my penthouse.” He stopped smiling and donned what Pepper like to call his ‘I mean business’ face. “And he is not responsible for anything that has been happening. He was under the control of another being, more powerful than he is - even if he hadn’t fallen through the void and been half mad by the time they’d met.” He had a feeling that Fury was raising an eyebrow.  
  
“And who is this being?” Tony inhaled and opened his mouth, ready to answer, but then realised that he had no idea. He looked to Loki.  
  
“Who is it? You never said.” Loki got up smoothly and made his way to the inventor, making sure he stopped in direct line that Fury could see.   
  
“Thanos, a Titan that went mad some time ago. He’d left his planet and found an ally in The Other, who gave him the Chitauri.” Fury frowned.  
  
“The Other who?” Loki rolled his eyes.  
  
“That’s his name. He’s a loyal servant to Thanos.” Fury nodded thoughtfully before shooting a glare at Loki.  
  
“And what do you plan to do now?” Loki smirked.  
  
“I plan to stay here with Mr. Stark until my brother comes back from Asgard. He went to negotiate with our father about my sentencing - which, as it wasn’t me doing this, should be null and void anyway.” Loki’s brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Though I suppose I might be banished for a while, perhaps as a mortal, as I _did_ try to destroy a planet that we were to be at war with at the time.” He grinned cheekily. “So you might have to deal with me anyway, by the decree of the All-Father. Oh, and Thor also took the Tesseract with him to Asgard, where it belongs.” Tony laughed as Fury scowled, irritated.  
  
“The two of you will drive me mad. Fine. Do what you want.” He narrowed his eyes. “I’ll be watching you though.” Tony’s expression went cold.  
  
“Yeah. I’ll be watching you too, Nicky.” Fury looked surprised at the cold tone and took in the inventor’s expression.   
  
“What are you looking for?” Tony smiled darkly.   
  
“Something you had no right to have.” He brightened up, grinning cheerfully. “So I’ll be taking it when I find it. Bye bye, Director!” Tony looked away as Jarvis cut off the call, taking a sip of his drink.   
  
Right, finding Kagome. He looked up, ignoring Loki’s curious look. “Jarvis.” The AI already knew what he wanted.  
  
“The workshop is ready for you, sir.” Tony nodded.  
  
“Allow Loki access.” There was a pause.  
  
“Access granted to Loki, sir.” Tony smiled thinly and turned to Loki.  
  
“Good. Fancy coming down with me?” Loki nodded, eyes lighting up with curiosity. “Jarvis, have the SHIELD helicarrier files ready for when we get down there.”  
  
“Of course, sir.” The two men made their way into the elevator that then took them down to the workshop. The doors opened and Tony stepped out, walking backwards into the room with a grin, arms spread wide.   
  
“What do you think?” Loki looked at the materials and equipment strewed everywhere.  
  
“Messy.” Tony looked at Loki, crestfallen. Loki grinned. “But very interesting.” The inventor perked up a bit, but still looked irritated at the first assessment.  
  
“I’ll have you know that this is organised chaos, thank you very much.” He muttered playfully as he walked sulkily away. He turned around suddenly, curiosity on his face.  
  
“Hey, are you really a God? What’s your aspect?” Loki rolled his eyes, but answered.  
  
“Mischief, Chaos and Lies.” Loki’s brow furrowed. “And Fire.” Tony frowned.  
  
“But aren’t you a frost giant? Fire seems like a strange thing to have precedence over.” The trickster God gaped.  
  
“How did you know I was a frost giant?” Tony shrugged.  
  
“Our Mythology says that you are. But then they also say that you’re blood-brother to Odin, so it’s not always right.” He smiled. “But thanks for telling me that you are, anyway.” At Loki’s dumbfounded expression, he winked.   
  
Loki shook his head and laughed for a moment before sobering slightly. “So, the files?” Tony’s face looked like it was carved in stone.  
  
“Yeah.” He said quietly, turning away. “The files.”  
  
  



	5. A Discovery

They overlooked the obvious files with information that wasn’t related, like the recent assassination of a prominent Korean minister that was trying to get support for starting a war with America. No, they dug much deeper than that - deeper than the Phase Two weapons Fury was planning for with the Tesseract. Tony dug past all of that with a single-minded focus that Loki was amazed at. He watched as Tony began to watch all the videos SHIELD had on that helicarrier, including the interrogations using less than moral means. Tony never flinched, just watched carefully with hardened eyes.   
  
Loki found himself more interested, for the moment, in seeing how Tony reacted - or didn’t react - to the material and experiments he was seeing. Eventually they came across Steve Rodgers - in the file named Subject 296 - in the early days of his awakening, as scientists crowded around him and took samples of everything they could and tested his endurance and abilities to the limit. Still no reaction from the inventor, which shocked Loki somewhat - wasn’t the man a team-mate?  
  
Tony shrugged when Loki asked, eyes dark. “He knew what he was getting into - he has enough strength and endurance to be able to stop it if he wanted to. Though,” He sneered. “I bet Captain America is too moral to actually be able to injure another human being from America - even if it meant being set free from something he didn’t want done.” Biting vitriol was clear from his tone. At his shocked look, the inventor had looked at him from the corner of his eyes and rose an eyebrow. “Yes?”   
  
Loki shook his head. “Nothing, just surprised at the amount of…” Loki couldn’t think of the word quickly enough, but Tony seemed to understand.  
  
“I’m not a good man, Loki. I’m hailed as a hero, but I haven’t really got the moral code for one.” He turned to face Loki fully, his lips in a tense, straight line. “I protect what I consider mine, that is all - the media and public have just decided that I’m a hero. I do whatever it takes,” His lips curled up in a mockery of a smile. “And if a few people die when I could just as easily - if not have an easier time of it - knock people out and hand them over to custody, well the media ignores that.” He barked out a bitter laugh and turned back to his screens, shifting and moving files before opening them up to do a quick skim read. “So do the people I protect.”  
  
Loki had learned enough about the strange technology for him to know exactly what to do to minimise the whole lot. So he did, stepping in Tony’s line of vision. Annoyed, Tony looked up, mouth open to ask what he was doing, but saw the trickster God’s expression and his mouth shut slowly.   
  
“Do you realise,” Loki started, slowly, carefully, like liquid heat. “How so very… _alluring_ you are when you say things like that, looking like that?” His eyes smouldered like burning embers and Tony suddenly found that he didn’t want to look away, even as he knew that the darkness he usually hid away was prowling around the surface, most likely visible for Loki to observe.   
Tony opened his mouth to say something, but found his voice stolen from him. He settled for a strangled hum that vaguely sounded like an agreement. Loki narrowed his eyes and a dangerous smirk formed on his lips. He leaned forward.  
  
“I don’t think you do.” He almost sing-songed, his voice a low purr. Tony had just enough time to widen his eyes before he was rendered speechless in another way, the God’s lips covering his own in a heated kiss, one of said God’s hands finding their way into Tony’s hair and tugging sharply. Tony gasped, his momentary distraction enough for Loki to dominate the kiss, licking his way into the inventors mouth like a pro. _Which_ , Tony reasoned dazedly, _he mostly likely is_. Then he lost the ability to think in coherent sentences, his focus now on reciprocating as best he could with his brain steadily turning to mush under Loki’s expert attentions.   
  
“Sir.” Tony ignored the voice, continuing instead to explore the inside of Loki’s mouth. “Sir, I must insist. It seems Agent Coulson is on the line.” Tony froze. Loki pulled away, looking confused as he took in what the AI was saying. Tony, however, was infuriated as he let out a very convincing snarl.  
  
“Just when I thought I’d finished with him.” He muttered. Loki swallowed harshly when Tony let go of his hair with a look of sadistic relish. “I guess it’s my turn to kill him.” Loki couldn’t resist and kissed him again, hard and quick. Tony kissed back before pulling away. Tony breathed out and, just like that, had on a perfect mask of restrained fury and relief. “Put him on, Jarvis.”  
  
Oddly enough, Fury was the one who appeared in the screen. Tony frowned, the relief fading from his face. “Stark.”  
  
“What the hell, Fury?” The Director ignored his tone and the question he asked.  
  
“Thor just touched down in New Mexico. He says that the All-Father agreed that Loki would carry out his sentence on earth, with the order that he was to spend one mortal lifetime down here.” Tony’s eyebrows rose, as did Loki’s.   
  
“That’s it?” Thor appeared on the screen next to Fury.  
  
“I convinced my father that if he were to give a heavier sentence than that, he should also give me one as well - I very nearly started a war with Jotenheimr, and was only banished for it for two and a half days.” Tony nodded thoughtfully.  
  
“Awesome. Thanks, Goldilocks.” He saw Thor’s brow furrow in confusion and the outraged look on Fury’s face before he ended the call. There was silence for a moment before they both burst into relieved laughter.  
  
“Thank God he’s not alive again.” Tony gasped. Loki smiled innocently.  
  
“You can thank me if you like.” Tony was confused for a moment before he chuckled.   
  
“Thank you, he’s not alive again.” Loki beamed. Tony couldn’t resist and leaned up to give the God a chaste kiss before turning away. “C’mon. We’ve got to find her.” He murmured, determination filling his eyes. “She’s got to be around here somewhere.”   
  
They spent the next few hours searching through every file they could. “Sir, I have discovered a ghost drive in the system, would you like me to pull it up?” Tony sighed, rubbing his eyes.  
  
“Yeah, Jarv. Go ahead.” A list of documents and videos lined up in front of him. He had a sudden inspiration. “Hey, Jarvis, go down to the files beginning with K.” Loki turned, curious as to what he was doing. The first file beginning with K was a document, dated to have been created at about seventy years ago.  
  
 _The subject was found on the 12th April, 1942. It seemed to be asleep. Several agents went to move the subject, but were pushed back by a pink light. The subject slept on. The agents waited until it awoke and then questioned it on it’s name. They were told that name was Kagome. When it noticed the guns, it refused to say anything more about itself. The agents tranquilised the creature and transported it to SHIELD headquarters, where investigations were undergone by Mr. Howard Stark._  
  
Tony stopped reading then and shut his eyes, breathing deeply and trying to restrain the fury. Once he’d got it sufficiently under control, he looked at Loki with a humourless smile. “Well, at least we know she’s at SHIELD.” He chuckled darkly. “Just one more thing to hate my father for.” He looked at his father’s name again and closed his eyes with a scowl. “Jarvis. Give me a summary of the next few documents about Kagome. I’ll watch the videos later.” Jarvis paused for a moment.   
  
“Sir, are you sure?” The AI asked hesitantly. Tony opened his eyes again and glared at the screen.  
  
“Jarvis.” He said warningly. Jarvis paused again before speaking.  
  
“Kagome had regular experiments conducted upon her, including electrocution, having her skin cut open and blood drained, to name a few. The scientists discovered that she could heal herself extremely quickly - faster than Steve Rodgers and Thor - and when she was conscious enough, produce a kind of barrier that forced people to keep their distance. There was no clear sign of how she managed to do this, and no one bothered to ask her about it. After a while, Kagome was subject to what many would call torture, with organs being removed, skin removed, and drowned repeatedly. She always recovered within four hours and never died. The scientists soon noticed that she didn’t age, but when asked, Kagome didn’t give them any information. According to the files, the experiments still continue.” Tony gritted his teeth.  
  
“I need a drink.” Loki, silent until now, appeared next to him.  
  
“Me too.” Loki looked at the inventor, his hard eyes, the monster shifted restlessly underneath the façade of relative calm, and tense shoulders. They made their way upstairs to the bar, where Tony poured them both a scotch. He took a sip and then looked at the bottle and sighed, frustrated.  
  
“Come on. I’ll take this down with me - no doubt we’ll need it.” He added darkly. “We have some videos to watch.” Loki had no doubt that, yes, they would be needing more scotch, and also that these videos will just serve to enrage the inventor more. He frowned, took a sip, and followed Tony to the elevator.  
  
Once down in the lab again, Tony sat down in front of his screens with a sigh, noticing the God sitting down next to him. “Okay, Jarvis, play the first one.”   
  
_The fist thing that came on the screen, blurry as it was, was a table, held at a sixty-four degree angle. Tied onto it was a woman with long black hair. She had no clothes on and she was obviously drugged, with her dazed eyes and slow blinks. She also has a series of wires attached to her at certain points. There are three people, two men and one woman, with lab coats on, looking at her with indifference._  
  
 _“Who are you?” The woman asked coldly. The woman grimaced._  
  
 _“I told you.” She slurred. “My name is Kagome.” At her answer, an electric shock contorted her body and she let out a shocked yelp._  
  
 _“Who do you work for?” Was asked and Kagome furrowed her brow in confusion, her head lolling to one side._  
  
 _“No one. I was just wondering around.” She smiled hollowly. “Wanted to see the sights.” Another shock rewarded her._  
  
 _“What are you?” The shocks were obviously making Kagome delirious as she laughed bitterly._  
  
 _“Hell if I know, anymore.” She looked at their indifferent faces with understanding and anger. “You’re better off asking whatever Gods you worship.” She frowned. “Though I forget. Do you people still worship Gods?” The scientists frowned._  
  
 _“How old are you?” Kagome shrugged as best she could, being tied down._  
  
 _“I don’t have a clue.” She smirked darkly. “Much older than all three of you put together, that’s for sure. That’s what?” She thought for a minute. “Wait, what year is it?” The scientists exchanged glances for a moment before on of the males answered._  
  
 _“1942.” Kagome’s eyes widened and she whistled._  
  
 _“Wow. Really?” She shook her head. “I’ve obviously not been paying very close attention to the times. I’m probably about four hundred and sixty-eight?” Her voice lilted into a question at the end._  
  
Tony and Loki gaped. If that was in 1942, then she’d be about five hundred and thirty now, surely. Jesus. The video continued on with the questioning, the shocks getting longer and higher in voltage the longer the video continued on. Suddenly it was less about finding information and more about seeing how much she could take.  
  
The three so-called scientists took no notice of her screams and discussed among themselves how much to increase the voltage while Kagome recovered. Disgusted, Tony turned it off. He paused for a moment.  
  
“Jarvis, put the others up in separate screens so we can see them all.” Jarvis did as asked, and the inventor and God were left horrified with what had been done to Kagome over the past seventy years, as the cameras obviously became clearer the more hi-tech they were. They watched in horrified and increasingly angry silence until Tony shattered it with a glass thrown at a wall. Loki started - he hadn’t even heard the inventor move.   
  
He hesitated, watching the inventors tense back heave as he tried to control his anger, and therefore his breathing, carefully. “Tony?”   
  
“Jarvis, shut it off.” Tony snapped harshly. The AI did so immediately. Loki came closer, arm outstretched, not sure whether touching the inventor would be a good idea.   
  
“Tony?” He called again and carefully touched Tony’s back. He tensed up further at the touch, restrained violence tingling under the skin, but he didn’t otherwise say anything against the touch. Loki put his other hand on Tony’s back, moving his hands in soothing circles while he waited for the inventor to respond.  
  
“I’m going to kill them all.” Tony growled lowly as he turned slowly, Loki stepping back so he could see his expression. His face was hard, stress and anger in the edges and his eyes were so dark they were almost black. There was a darkness to his features that wasn’t there before, and Loki knew that he could see it only because Tony let him - this full force of the rage he usually kept so carefully hidden away. “Fury better not know anything about this. If he does and he’s actually encouraged it…” Tony cut himself off with a snarl that refused to be held back.   
  
Loki waited. “Tony?” Tony looked up at him, utterly serious.  
  
“Nothing will stop me from destroying SHIELD in it’s entirety.”  
  



	6. The Eye Of The Storm

Loki cracked a smile, half pleased and half trying to calm the inventor down. It wouldn’t do to just run in there, all guns a-blazing. They needed a plan, something that would get them what they want without it ending in an all-out war.   
  
“That’s all well and good, Tony, but perhaps it’s best to think things through a bit before you go storming in there and raising hell?” There was both humour and seriousness in his tone, and Tony looked at him carefully before nodding.   
  
“True.” He made his way back to the bench and sat down, looking at the blank screens. “Fine. I’ll wait.” A glimmer of the patience of a predator made itself know in Tony’s eyes. “Jarvis.”  
  
“Sir?” Tony smirked.  
  
“I want you in SHIELD. I want you in the bridge of that dammed helicarrier and I want you to wait for me to get there.”   
  
“Of course, sir.” Tony turned to Loki, smirk still present on his face.   
  
“Hungry? I am. What do you feel like having?” The monster was still shifting under Tony’s skin, Loki could see it, and he wondered what it bring about, when unleashed from that careful control. He shrugged.  
  
“I don’t really need any food for the moment.” Tony eyed him for a moment before shrugging.   
  
“Fair enough. Well, I’m not going over there until tomorrow, so we have time to do…” Tony frowned when nothing came to mind. “Whatever, really.” He walked to his elevator, leaving the shattered glass and the bottle of scotch in the lab - he’d deal with it later. Loki followed him. While in the elevator, Tony had a thought. “Where do you want to sleep? I have plenty of floors - some of which have more than on bedroom.” Loki looked the billionaire over, leaving heat trails in his wake and suddenly Tony felt that food wasn’t so important.  
  
“I think I’ll just commandeer you bedroom, if it’s not too much trouble.” Tony smiled crookedly.  
  
“I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem at all.” He glanced toward the camera. “Jarvis, the penthouse.”   
  
“Of course, sir.” Instructions given, the inventor pulled Loki closer by the collar of his armour. Loki smirked.  
  
“I thought you were hungry, Stark?” Tony gave a low growl.  
  
“Tony. And I am - just not for food.” Loki laughed and then licked his way into Tony’s mouth, still smirking in amusement.   
  
“Good. To bed then?” Tony rolled his eyes with a small grin.  
  
“Where do you think we were going?”

* * *

Tony chuckled wryly from his place next to Loki, still panting in the aftermath of orgasm. “You,” He started, amusement saturating his tone, “Are too distracting.” Loki sighed.  
  
“I try my best.” He stretched languidly, feeling the delicious pull of muscles recently used. He smiled suggestively, waggling his eyebrows in a playful manner. “Fancy another round?” Tony looked interested, his eyes darkening. He reached for the God, but his eyes suddenly widened and he sat up quickly, reaching for the tablet that was on his bedside, all traces of arousal gone in place of fierce concentration. Loki sighed again, put off. “Not distracting enough, apparently.” He muttered to himself. Tony sent him a sideways glance.  
  
“Oh,” He purred. “I’ll get to you later.” He refocused his attention on the tablet, opening up documents and schematics, obviously trying to find something in particular. He gave a triumphant sound when he found it, pulling it up and showing Loki. The trickster God frowned.  
  
“Your consultation contract?” The grin on Tony’s face said it all. “What’s that got to do with anything?” The grin turned smug.  
  
“My contract with SHIELD is based upon the fact that they don’t hide anything to do with my father or those that I know or have met in the past.” At Loki’s look, he shrugged. “We spent a long time negotiating this and they know I’ll just hack their systems anyway if I feel that I’m being left in the dark.” His grin came back with an excited energy that Loki was starting feel himself. “The point is, they have hidden something from me that is about my father - as much as I hate the guy - and also, coincidently, someone I have met in the past.” Loki nodded.  
  
“They have violated the contract?” Tony nodded.  
  
“Now I can get Kagome back while tearing them apart - if they know what has been done and try to resist, then I can just say that they’ve violated the contract and that I demand compensation - maybe in the form of giving to me Kagome!” Loki grinned.  
  
“You have the easier method, one that requires less force, but you are preferring to use the one that means that you put more effort into?” Tony nodded, something more vicious in his smile now. Loki groaned. “I love the way your mind works.” The inventor rose an eyebrow, smirk firmly in place.  
  
“That goes both ways, if you recall.” He said lowly, and then put the tablet back down on the bedside table. His eyes were burning when he looked back at Loki, and he reached for him, pulling him so he was on top. “Well then,” He murmured, his lips gently brushing Loki’s. “What shall we do now?” Loki grinned and leaned down the rest of the way to kiss the inventor chastely.   
  
“I can think of a few things.” Tony laughed dirtily before it broke off in a gasp as one of Loki’s hands wondered lower and took him in a firm grasp, his thumb gently brushing against the head.   
  
“Such a distraction.” Loki laughed delightedly and set out to make sure the billionaire couldn’t remember his own name.  
  
  
“Good morning. The time is seven o’clock on Thursday the twenty-fourth of April. The temperature is forty-two degrees Celsius with highs of sixty-four.” Tony groaned and sat up, running a hand through his hair and yawning.  
  
“Thanks, Jarvis.” He got out of bed and stretched, unashamed that he was naked and that there were a pair of bright green eyes watching him hungrily, looking over the marks that had been made the night before. A series of bite marks ran over the inventors left collarbone and scratches made red lines down Tony’s back and inner thighs.   
  
Tony stopped stretching and looked over at Loki, smirking at the God’s own marks that he could see, with the bed sheet only appearing around Loki’s hips. His legs were free as well, the pale skin matching nicely on his white sheets. He heard Loki laugh and sighed, looking down at his overactive body part. He grinned back at Loki.  
  
“This is your fault you know.” Loki rose an eyebrow questioningly, amusement glittering in his eyes and making his lips twitch.  
  
“How so?” He made matters worse by stretching, allowing a small groan of pleasure to escape him as he felt all his muscles tense and then relax. Tony swallowed, giving Loki a half-hearted scowl.  
  
“You are such a dick.” Loki gave a pointed look at the inventors own anatomy with raised eyebrows. Tony rolled his eyes. “And apparently immature.” As Loki stood, he looked longingly at the God, but decided against initiating another round. “Come on, we have to get ready. We have a big day ahead of us!” He called out cheerfully as he made is way into the shower.   
  
Loki, who was just about to join the inventor in ‘getting ready’, smirked darkly and just summoned his clothing. He hummed in consideration, looking thoughtfully at the door to the bathroom. He grinned playfully and made a simple gesture with his hand.  
  
“Ahh! Cold!” Loki sniggered as Tony cried out, incensed, “Loki!”   
  
“Yes, dear?” There were some curses as the water turned even colder before heating up again.  
  
“I hate you.” Loki laughed loudly.  
  
“No, you don’t.” There was a pause and then a begrudging murmur of agreement.  
  
Tony, as Loki found out, cleaned up extremely well. Yesterday, the inventor was wearing black trousers and a short sleeved black top - Loki supposed it was for comfort in the suit. But now, Tony looked every inch the commanding businessman he was. Sharply cut suit, artfully ruffled hair and a pair of glasses with red lenses that somehow managed to match what he was wearing. The shirt was a deep burgundy with the top two buttons undone, no tie, black trousers and black shoes. Loki felt the inside of his mouth go dry.  
  
Tony winked, sharp smile in place. “What do you think?” Loki licked his lips.  
  
“I think that we should get going before we don’t go at all.” Tony laughed, but Loki felt him withdrawing, felt him get in that business mode. His eyes were stormy and sparked with intelligence, and a charming smile was on his lips. The most interesting thing was his posture. Usually quite relaxed and confident, Tony now held himself with confidence that seemed to just toe the line with arrogance and his shoulders and spine were straight. The air about seemed to radiate confidence and challenged anyone who tried to bring him down.   
  
“Right.” Tony sighed, closing his eyes briefly, flinching ever so slightly as the videos of Kagome from yesterday played before his eyelids. His eyes opened, and the monster within them was visible for a moment before it was ruthlessly locked away. Loki’s own monster was just about hidden - not pushed down so far as to be hidden from view if one truly looked. “Jarvis, get Fury on the line.” There was a pause of mere moments.  
  
“What do you want, Stark?” Tony smiled disarmingly at Fury’s annoyed greeting.  
  
“Merely to say that I’ll be popping in soon - care to give me your co-ordinates?” Fury rolled his eyes.  
  
“I know you don’t need them Stark - I’m sure you can have your AI find us. No doubt you have a tracker somewhere on here.” Tony lifted a hand to his chest in mock hurt.  
  
“I was merely trying to be polite.” Just for a moment, Tony’s smile cracked and revealed something sharper and more dangerous. Fury’s eyes narrowed.   
  
“What are you planning?” Tony grinned insincerely.  
  
“See you soon, Nick.” Whatever Fury was going to reply with was cut off, the projection vanishing. Tony didn’t move though, his dark eyes staring off elsewhere, some place far away. Loki frowned as Tony still hadn’t moved after a few minutes.  
  
“Tony?” Tony seemed to come back to himself with a gasp.  
  
“What?” He didn’t seem to know where he was for a moment, leaving Loki curious as to what was going on. He looked around, spotted Loki and his eyebrows rose. “Oh. Oh yes.” He began to walk away, but stopped. He turned back to Loki slowly. “I didn’t do anything, did I?” Loki frowned in confusion, but shook his head.  
  
“No.” He paused. “Were you supposed to?” Tony nodded distantly, but seemed to come back to himself again with the question. He smiled faintly.  
  
“Of course not.” He eyed the God thoughtfully. “Say, you could teleport us there, couldn’t you?” Loki dismissed the strange occurrence for later perusal. He smirked, amused.  
  
“I _could_ , yes.” Tony obviously caught on, because he gave a small smirk in return. He came closer, a small sway in his hips that drew Loki’s eye.  
  
“Will you teleport us to the helicarrier, please? Just inside the bridge I you can, if not, then wherever you can.” Loki nodded. “Jarvis? Wherever we appear, set the camera footage in loop unless it‘s on the bridge. I don’t want Fury knowing I’m there yet.”  
  
“Of course, sir.” Tony looked back at Loki, a smirk on his lips and fire in his eyes.  
  
“If you please, Loki.” Loki smirked in return and teleported them both to the helicarrier.  
  



	7. To Reign Fire

Fury knew one thing about Tony Stark. When _he_ calls _you_ , wearing a suit that isn’t loaded with ammunition, and _tells_ you he’s coming for a visit, it’s never good news he’s bringing, nor is it a sign that the inventor himself is in a good mood. In fact, the more he smiles, the worse it is.   
  
Tony Stark had smiled a lot during that video call.   
  
However, after being told that he’d see the Director soon, Fury did not expect that Tony had meant _soon_ soon. He’d thought maybe an hour. In no way, shape or form, did he expect the inventor to appear with Loki on the bridge in a matter of fifteen minutes from the ending of that call. He turned to face the two men, but focused on Tony.  
  
“Mr. Stark. What a surprise.” Tony grinned and shrugged.  
  
“Well, I did tell you I’d see you soon.” He said casually. Fury didn’t lower his guard, his eye narrowed and walked forward to rest his hands on the massive table in the middle of the bridge.   
  
“What do you want, Stark?” He said directly, bored already with the game. Tony grinned like a shark, showing all of his teeth. Fury tensed. He didn’t know how, but he knew immediately that SHIELD had either pissed the inventor off or offended him or even a mixture of both. He sighed inwardly. Great.   
  
Because as much as SHIELD was powerful, Stark was just as powerful in his own right. He had the resources, determination and the adoration of the media. He made his own rules and he expected people to like him for it - and they did (barring the incident with Mr. Stane). Making an enemy of Tony Stark was not something anyone wanted to do. Iron Man is the public hero, the one who will help people in an obvious way. But Iron Man is merely a creation of Tony Stark, and Tony Stark would do many great and terribly things for those he protected. Fury knew that, though he doubted the World Security Council did. They thought that all problems could be solved in an inconspicuous way, even those of public figures. Well, Obadiah Stane had thought the same and look at what happened to him.   
  
“I found what I’m looking for.” Tony stopped smiling, was completely serious, and had a cold look in his eye that told of ruthlessness. Fury swallowed nervously, though he’d never admit it.   
  
“And what is that?” He asked boredly, hiding his concern. Tony met his eye.  
  
“Something that you had no right to hold.” He smiled sardonically. “Jarvis. You know what to do.” Fury’s eye widened as the AI responded.  
  
“Of course, sir. Shall I begin searching?” Tony shrugged, unaffected as the whole helicarrier rumbled and began to tilt slightly.  
  
“Sure, why not?” Fury scowled.  
  
“What the hell are you playing at?” He shouted. Tony smiled unkindly. Loki just looked on as Tony easily took control and smiled a threat.  
  
“Tell me, are you hiding something from me? Something to do with my father, perhaps?” His tone was idle, though his expression was anything but, and Fury had enough sense not to be fooled by it. “I’d think quickly I if were you - there’s over two hundred people on this ship and you’ve only got one engine.” He stopped smiling, an almost-frown on his lips. There was no hint of any remorse or hesitation in him. Fury frowned harder, disconcerted by the transition from the man who was willing to sacrifice himself to save a city to someone who would willingly kill over two hundred people simply because he was angry, offended and someone had taken what he considered to be his.  
  
“Not as far as I know.” He said slowly, carefully. Tony looked at him shrewdly, studying his expression for any hint of falsehood. All he found was confusion and hesitation. He nodded sharply, now even more angry.  
  
“Well, then.” He said, eyes narrowed. “I think it’s time I had a little talk with the WSC, then.” He sneered. There’s nothing he hated more than talking to a group of five or six people that thought they knew what was best and didn’t care about collateral damage so long as they achieved what they wanted to achieve. Fury rose an eyebrow, reluctantly impressed at how calm Tony was staying - a rare and dangerous thing.  
  
“Stark, what is it that you want?” Tony’s attention refocused on him, but he didn’t speak for a long moment.  
  
“Jarvis, restart the engine.” He murmured and the helicarrier stopped listing to the side and hovered properly in the air. “And if you would be so kind as to show the dear Director the most recent footage.” Immediately one of the screens in the control centre of the bridge went blank, before a high-definition video appeared.   
  
Fury watched the video with increasing anger and horror. No wonder Stark wasn’t best pleased. Then he frowned as the video ended. “How do you know her?” Tony straightened.  
  
“I met her at the fire fighters benefit under a year and a half ago.” He levelled Fury with a dark, though strangely unreadable, look. “Agent Coulson was with her.” His lips quirked into a humourless smile. “She wasn’t too ecstatic to be in his presence, lets say.” Fury narrowed his eyes. And here he’d thought that Tony didn’t like Coulson simply because he worked for SHIELD.   
  
“I recognise that room.” But Tony shook his head.  
  
“That’s of no use to me - they probably keep her elsewhere when they’re not doing,” He gestured vaguely at the screen the video had played on. “That.” He took out his phone gesturing for Loki to sit down, and then sat down for himself at the glass table. “Jarvis is doing a sweep of the helicarrier to see if she’s here. In the meantime,” His eyes seemed to turn a darker shade as something that Fury found himself impressed yet concerned by crossed his face. “I think a little chat is due, don’t you?” He directed the question at no one in particular and fiddled with his phone, tapping things on the holographic screen. Loki leaned closer.  
  
“What are you doing?” Tony sent a small smile at Loki, though he never turned away from the screen.  
  
“Hacking the World Security Council. I’m going to leave a little message in plain view, and then they are going to call me.” Loki frowned, while Fury watched in surprise as Tony seemed to soften towards the trickster God.   
  
“How can you be so sure?” Tony laughed a little.  
  
“Any organisation that doesn’t reveal everything or anything to the public hates being hacked - there’s nothing worse. And seeing as I’m going to let them know who’s hacked them and leave a message, they’re going to want to know exactly what the hell I’m doing.” He grinned at Loki conspiratorially, a grin that was returned with equal delight. Fury spoke up.  
  
“Are you sure, Stark?” The derisive look Tony sent Fury was probably the only thing the inventor need to do or say, but he replied anyway.  
  
“When do I ever do things I’m not sure of?” Fury nodded his head in reluctant agreement.   
  
Tony kept on tapping on his phone for a little while, before he leaned back with a satisfied sigh. No one spoke, and all they heard were the tapping from the keyboards around them as every one worked. It didn’t take long, only twenty minutes before Tony’s phone rang.  
  
He grinned predatorily. “Hello.” He purred. He waited for a moment. “This is indeed Tony Stark.” He looked contemplatively at the screens behind the still standing Director. “Just a moment.” He stood as he spoke and walked past Fury. “I just need to commandeer one of your screens, if you don’t mind.” Fury would have protested, except that Tony Stark didn’t ask permission - he was merely telling you what he was going to do. He minimised the information currently on the screen. “Jarvis. Video call with my charming callers please.” Immediately five windows popped up.   
  
“What was the meaning of that, Mr. Stark?” One of them said. Tony smiled, looking down at the screen with cold eyes.   
  
“Just a little fun, really.” The smile vanished. “You have done something - taken something that didn’t belong to you and damaged it, perhaps irreparably.” He put his hands in his pockets, his body language tense and ready to pounce. “I claimed it as mine and I’m going to take it back.” He wasn’t even warning them, merely stating a fact. He could here several of the members raise their eyebrows.   
  
“And what have we got, Mr. Stark, that belongs to you?” Tony smiled coldly.  
  
“Kagome.” The board members froze.   
  
“No one is meant to know she exists. How did you find out?” Tony shrugged casually.  
  
“I met her over a year ago, via Agent Phil Coulson.” One of them hissed in annoyance. Tony rose an eyebrow. So Coulson hadn’t been allowed, technically, to take her out? That would explain the hope and understanding in her eyes - but the fear was still there and he hadn’t quite heard the answer for that, but perhaps he’d ask Kagome when they found her.  
  
“However and whenever you may have met, you cannot have her. She could be a danger to earth as we know it and -” Tony snapped.  
  
“Bull _shit_. I’m not believing a single thing that’s coming from your mouth. Have you even asked her? Bothered to believe her when she answered any of your questions, when you stopped drugging her enough to kill any human? Not to mention your tactics which have escalated beyond anything that you could possibly make up an excuse for - it’s torture, pure and simple and most of it would have driven a human insane. I hate people like you. Close minded, think you know what is best for the earth and think you can get away with using whatever method of your so-called ‘protection’ you like.” Tony said quietly, never raising his voice, but the whole bridge had come to a standstill, no one daring to make a sound and all wanted to hear what Tony Stark had to say to the WSC. Fury’s eye was as wide as it had ever been, and Loki was staring at the inventor heatedly. There was a pause, before a member spoke up.  
  
“Mr. Stark,” She said in a conciliatory tone. “You may not approve of our methods, but she is an unknown here, and we have to know her before we can release her to -”   
  
“Did you do that with Thor? I don’t recall you doing so - there’s no record of any kind of research instigated with Thor.” His eyes were narrowed, practically bleeding hate and disdain. “No, it’s because you found her and no one else knew - so you could do what you like - there was no one to see. So you thought you could get away with it.” He grinned viciously. “I’ll be taking her back, thank you. And if any of you attempt to capture her again, you’ll find that I am not someone you want to make an enemy of. I will destroy your petty council and kill anyone who stands in my way.” He held up his hands. “All you have to do is sit back and let me take her. I’ll take her whether you like it or not, but it’ll be easier of you agree.” He sighed, like it was actually paining him to be making the threats, though all could hear the pleasure and satisfaction in his voice and see it on his face. “I do so hate having to go though hours of paperwork.”  The WSC was silent for a while, and the entire bridge held their breath.   
  
Finally, one of them sighed. “Fine,” He said. “We will let you take her, on the condition that she doesn’t cause destruction.” Tony rolled his eyes.  
  
“Yeah, whatever. Pleasure doing business with you.” Then he hung up on them. He turned around, his eyebrows raising in surprise when he took in the surprised and slightly awed faces of everyone on the bridge. “What?” Loki suddenly appeared next to him and captured his lips in a fierce kiss, hungry and consuming.  
  
“You were amazing.” The God breathed when he pulled away, and Tony gave him a cocky smirk.  
  
“Damn right I was.” He announced. “I’m Tony fucking Stark.” Loki laughed quietly. Fury sighed. He wasn’t really surprised by the turn Loki and Tony’s relationship had taken. It was Tony Stark they were talking about after all.   
  
“Do you need anything else, Stark, or will you get off my helicarrier?” Tony laughed, somehow looking brighter than he ever had before.  
  
“In a few minutes. Jarvis, have you found Kagome yet?”   
  
Promptly, the AI answered, “Yes, sir. The location and map have been sent to your phone.” Tony nodded.  
  
“Thanks, J.”   
  
“You’re very welcome, sir.” He replied dryly, obviously sensing the good mood his creator was in.   
  



	8. You're Interesting

Kagome sighed inwardly as Phil Coulson lead her towards the bar. She hated being even near the man, but then… he did bring her with him without the go-ahead from his superiors - the World Security Council, she believed it was called. She looked around at all of the people that chattered meaninglessly about things that weren’t important, like who was going out with who and who’s dress looked the best. Someone laughed to loudly near her and she felt herself flinch at the piercing noise.   
  
Phil stopped near the bar, so she looked at who he’d said they - or rather, he would be speaking with, whose name was Tony Stark. He’d also informed her of the businessman’s personal assistant, who went by the name of Pepper Potts and had long ginger-red hair. Tony Stark himself was a rather handsome man with brown hair that looked ruffled, and yet neat, intelligent brown eyes and a sharp goatee. He, like some other men, was wearing a black suit with a white shirt and a bow tie - an assemble that looked very fetching on him. She also sensed a different kind of energy, originating from his chest and she wondered what it was, but resigned herself to never finding out.  
  
She watched him study her, ignoring the agent next to her who was trying to get his attention, and made sure she looked at bored as possible. His eyes flashed with something that she vaguely recognised before darkening in a show of recognition. His whole countenance darkened and a rage - a terrible, cornered-animal vicious rage - passed and lingered in his eyes. She smirked. So he had a monster too. Interesting.   
  
Seeing as he’d been so kind as to let her see his, she let her smirk darken and a little of her own rage roam free inside her eyes. Tony Stark hid his away as quickly as it had come, and she had almost finished pushing hers back down to where it couldn’t be seen, when she caught Phil looking at her from the corner of her eye. His eyes narrowed and she felt his right hand curl around her left wrist gently.   
  
_Be careful. You know that if you slip up tonight, I’ll have to tell them_. He’d said before they left. _The pain will only increase in that case._

And she felt the blood drain from her face at the reminder, which somehow helped her to bury her monster again. She looked at Tony, just in time to see his monster come back almost full force, prowling there in renewed rage. Kagome felt hope rising in her and could tell that his monster had, it seemed, claimed her as his. She had to look away in practised boredom before she let her hopes get any higher.  
  
Just then, she saw Miss Potts in a low-backed blue satin dress. Hmm… it has been a while since she’d been able to put on the charm. _Well over seventy-four years_. She thought to herself bitterly. She smiled as silkily as she could as she turned back to the two men, noticing Tony’s surprise at how she’d donned her mask. She made no indication that she had noticed, however.  
  
“If you will excuse me, gentlemen,” She purred lowly, letting her eyelids lower half-way. Phil looked at her questioningly, but she just smiled, relishing in the momentary power she had in those kind of people knowing exactly what she was going to do, but Phil was more lenient with her and she knew it. He nodded in acceptance, so she turned to Tony Stark. He smiled at her gently, yet her instincts tingled lightly at the predatory edge he’d somehow put in there. He reached for her hand and she gave it to him, not reacting to the gentle, feather-light kiss he placed upon the back of it.  
  
“Leaving so soon, darling?” He asked with a teasing smile. “I don’t believe I know your name.” She rose one eyebrow. She felt somehow disappointed with the amount of effort put in on that, but to her surprise, he did amend himself with, “Might I have the pleasure of hearing it, so I may know what I may call you in my dreams?” She smiled a bit more genuinely than before, though she was surprised - would she ever cease to be surprised around this man? -  at the hint of truth in the charming remark and nodded her head graciously, still doing the best she could to be as charming as possible.  
  
“You may.” Kagome let her eyes glisten with light, and she ensured to keep herself turned away from where she knew Phil would be able to see. “My name is Kagome.” His eyebrows rose in what seemed to be both surprise and disappointment.   
  
“No last name?” He asked, cementing the feeling she got from him that he was disappointed. She grinned secretively and delighted in the power she felt she had.   
  
“I have no last name.” She said, and let some of her reiki shine purple in her eyes for a mere moment. His brow furrowed in confusion, so she winked and watched as the confusion cleared to be replaced with fascination. “I am my own.” The words she said had a strange authority and power and Tony’s eyes widened wondrously. She could see that she had accidentally started a mild infatuation for her, and softened. She didn’t look at Phil, whose gaze bored into her back as she leaned forward, closer to the man whom she found herself equally intrigued by. Even her monster approved of him, and she let it show. “We will meet again, worry not, Tony Stark.” Or at least, she hoped so. Then she winked and pulled her hand back, bowing slightly to both men before walking gracefully away. She had a woman to charm.  
  
She walked up to Pepper and tapped her on the shoulder, interrupting the conversation she was having with three boring people.   
  
“Miss Potts, may I please have this dance?” She murmured quietly to the woman. She found herself amused when the woman began to say no, but immediately changed it to a yes with a double take. Kagome led her away from the snobbish people, all three of which looked at her in a mixture of lust and annoyance. A smirk curled her lips as she encouraged Pepper to put her hand on her shoulder while Kagome managed to situate her arm around Pepper’s waist using a gentle-firm grip.   
  
As they swayed to the music, Kagome decided to speak up - poor Pepper looked to embarrassed to say a word. “Miss Potts, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kagome.” Pepper seemed to catch hold of her tongue then and smiled nervously.  
  
“Nice to meet you, Kagome. You can call me Pepper if you want.” Kagome smiled brightly at her.  
  
“Thank you.” At Pepper’s blush, she couldn’t resist feigning ignorance. “Pepper, what’s wrong? You’ve gone all red! Are you ill?” Pepper shook her head and Kagome gave her a dubious look. “Okay, do you want to go outside?” The red-headed woman leapt on the opportunity.   
  
“Yes. Yes, please.” Kagome smiled the most charming smile she could and stopped dancing, leading the other woman off the dance floor and over to the stairs up to the roof with a reassuring touch on her arm. When up there, Pepper leaned over the balcony, taking a deep breath and letting it out again.  
  
“Are you sure you are well, Pepper?” Kagome asked, amused. Pepper gave a high pitched laugh tinged with embarrassment.  
  
“Yes, I’m fine.” She paused. “Just embarrassed, that’s all.”   
  
“Of two women dancing together.” Kagome’s amused tone made Pepper blush again, though she looked at Kagome questioningly at the statement that wasn’t a question. Kagome smirked. “I’m not stupid, Miss Potts. I understand about reputations.” Kagome looked at her thoughtfully, while Pepper looked shocked over the sudden loss of the charm she’d seen before, the other woman’s attitude more suited for a skilled businesswoman. “You don’t want anyone to know, do you?” Pepper frowned.  
  
“Know what?” Kagome stepped closer to the woman, looking straight in her eyes.   
  
“About your attraction to both women and men.” Pepper’s eyes widened in surprise, before they narrowed in suspicion.  
  
“And?” Kagome smiled warmly.  
  
“I’m not going to use it against you, Pepper.” She darkened for a moment. “Not that I see anyone anyway.” She muttered before brightening again. “I just want to know why it’s not okay for people to know.” Innocent curiosity was what was driving Kagome now, and she made sure Pepper was able to see it, and knew when she did. Pepper seemed to soften all over.   
  
“It’s difficult, working for Tony Stark.” She began. “He has such a reputation for falling into bed with anyone, I don’t want people to think I would as well.” She looked at Kagome with a considering look in her eyes. “Can you keep a secret?” Kagome almost laughed hysterically. Keeping secrets was what she was best at, and what had gotten her in this mess. Instead of doing that - and probably scaring the living shit out of Pepper - Kagome nodded. “I think Tony only does it to keep up his own reputation. Mr. Hogun, his driver, told me that Tony often asks if the woman - or man - is cute or hot or whatever before actually taking them to bed.” Kagome frowned slightly.  
  
“Almost as if he can’t tell for himself if that person looks attractive, so he asks what a ordinary person thinks.” Kagome mused thoughtfully. That’d be something to keep in mind. Pepper nodded in agreement.   
  
“Exactly.” They stayed outside in a comfortable silence for a while, before Phil appeared. He nodded to Pepper, and Kagome closed her eyes, hating that her evening of freedom was already over.  
  
Yes, she knew she could easily escape - but then what? They already knew that she lived for a very long time without aging and they would never stop chasing after her. She felt old suddenly. Old and tired.  
  
“Miss Potts.” Kagome heard his steps coming closer.  
  
“Agent Coulson.” Pepper greeted in response. “Nice to see you again.”   
  
“Likewise.” God, Kagome just knew there’d be a bland smile on the agents face. “Kagome. We’d best be off.” Kagome opened her eyes and smiled brightly, even if she wasn’t feeling it at the moment. She didn’t want the red-haired woman to think that she worked with SHIELD or the WSC - though Kagome doubted the woman knew about that one.   
  
“Thank you for such a lovely night, Phil.” She said as she walked away from Pepper. She turned back to Pepper. “Be who you want to be, don’t waste your life. We don’t have long enough on this earth for it.” Kagome warned, and she knew that some of the panic and fear she felt was visible as she restrained herself from flinching when Phil grabbed her hand. Pepper looked worried, so she smiled kindly. “It was nice to meet you, Pepper.” The woman nodded, smiling slightly.  
  
“You too, Kagome.” Kagome followed Phil back to the car and got in.  
  
“What were you doing, Kagome?” She smiled weakly, sadness in her eyes.  
  
“I just wanted to make a friend.” She replied quietly. “Pepper is a nice person.” Phil nodded, still frowning slightly.  
  
“True, but I meant Tony Stark.” A small smirk settled on her lips then, a spark appearing in her eyes that Phil hadn’t seen before. She’d been at the SHIELD facility longer than he’d been working for them.   
  
“He’s like me.” She said, a hint of viciousness in her tone. She laughed a little. “No one will ever tie him down for long and he does what he can.” Of course, long for him and long for her were entirely different things, due to difference in lifespan, but the idea was there.  
  
  



	9. You Came

Tony walked through the helicarrier like he owned it, Loki next to him. They both gained some funny looks from passing agents, even more so when Tony didn’t wink, smirk, or make a lecherous comment. Loki was stared at in confusion - some of the agents recognising him and wondering why he was wandering around the helicarrier he’d escaped and day and a half ago.    
  
Many twists and turns later, with Tony consulting his phone now and again, they stopped in front of a door and paused. Loki frowned, not sure why the inventor had stopped.  
  
“Why have you stopped?” Tony looked at him, eyes wide and confused and uncertain. Somewhere in Loki’s chest tightened at the look, and he realised that it wasn’t a good look for Tony. He also realised that he never wanted to see that expression on his face again. It looked wrong… unnatural.   
  
“I don’t…” He trailed off, sighed, and tried again. “I’ve spent so long looking for her, and now that I’ve found her, I don’t know what I’ll do afterwards. What if she doesn’t remember me? Or she is so damaged that she won’t…” Tony ran a hand through his hair, frustrated beyond belief with his ability to express what he thought. Loki shrugged.  
  
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. We’ll help her to recover and even if she doesn’t remember you, she can get to know you again whilst meeting me.” The corner of Tony’s mouth hitched up into a small smile.  
  
“I guess so.” Tentative, Tony reached for the door handle, and suddenly wondered why there was a door handle instead of a button to open the door.   
  
“Sir, it seems Kagome is being moved into an adjacent room. I believe you should proceed with all haste.” Tony and Loki exchanged alarmed looks and Tony finally twisted the handle fully, pushing. When the door didn’t budge, they hissed curses.  
  
“Jarvis, can you get the lock?” When the AI answered a negative, Tony growled.   
  
“Fucking hell. Why is everything requiring effort?” He reached into his trouser pocket and took out a small silver device, about the size of a poker chip. Loki looked on curiously as Tony stuck it to the door, just under the handle. The inventor laughed a little. “Good thing I always carry these around with me. They’re so useful.” He mused.   
  
“What does it do?” Tony sent an amused look to the God.   
  
“You’ll see.” He pushed a button, and gestured for Loki to step back a little way while he did the same. There was silence for a few minutes before a click was heard, followed by a relatively noisy boom. The door swung open and Tony grinned like the cat that got the cream, salmon and the tuna. “Let’s go.” He pushed at the door and it swung open, revealing a room devoid of people and barely any furniture. There was a bed and a chair. That was all. Loki frowned. This was worse than when he’d been in the cells of Asgard centuries previous.   
  
There was a door, opposite to the bed and to the right of the door they’d just come through. It was shut, but there was light coming through the gaps, and Jarvis had told them that Kagome was in that room. Something about the way the room was and that light coming through the door was flickering set them on edge, a foreboding feeling tingling through them.  
  
The opened the door quickly, sending two of the people inside scattering away from the door. Tony and Loki watched them carefully, before a half choked sound drew their attention to the corner, where a vaguely familiar body was on display. They both knew that it was Kagome, and were outraged that they’d just _caught them._   
  
A scientist, who obviously hadn’t been paying attention to her compatriots and the sound of the door opening, was holding a head of black hair in the water. The reason their was a choking sound was that, in her other hand, the scientist also had a cattle prod and had shocked her with it, causing Kagome to inhale some water. Kagome struggled briefly, before slowing down. Her hands, which had been clenched around the restraints, relaxed. Her head was pulled up and she was shocked again, bringing her back to full consciousness with a gasping groan and wide eyes. She panted, and then noticed Tony and Loki standing there, staring in horror and disgust. She stiffened.  
  
Kagome closed her eyes again, tears leaking from her eyes. She had a horrible feeling that those looks were for her. The person holding onto her hair tightened their grip, seemingly unconsciously, as they apparently noticed the two men standing at the door. Tony and Loki narrowed their eyes.  
  
“Get out.” Tony growled, eyes ablaze. “Get out, right now, and I may just decide not to kill you.” All three scientists hurried out, leaving Kagome alone with the two men.  
  
Once the people torturing her were gone, Tony walked forward slowly, hands up to show he wasn’t going to do anything. Kagome smiled, even if it made her look worse.  
  
“Tony.” She greeted. “How are you?” Tony practically beamed.  
  
“You remember.” He stated warmly, coming closer still. Loki stayed near the door, watching the reunion with a small smile. Kagome nodded.  
  
“How could I forget?” There was a hint of sadness and bitterness in her voice, making Tony frown. “It was the first time I’d been let out since I got here.” She looked down at herself and sighed. “Would you mind getting me some clothes please? And getting me out of these restraints?” Tony suddenly realised that she wasn’t wearing any clothes and blushed, clearing his throat, to the amusement of both Loki and Kagome.  
  
“Umm… yeah, okay.” He turned away before realising that there were no clothes in the next room. He mentally debated before turning back and coming closer to Kagome, going for the restraints. His head turned slightly towards Loki. “Hey, would you be able to summon something?” He asked the God, but someone else he wasn’t expecting answered.  
  
“Oh, I forgot about that.” Kagome smiled. “Nice of you to remind me.” Tony finally go the last of her restraints free, and she glimmered with purple light before a black top and light brown trousers appeared on her. She looked down at her bare feet and they glimmered too, before a pair of ankle boots appeared with inch heels. Loki and Tony stared. “What?” She asked, confused before comprehension and fear clouded her eyes. “You didn’t know.” She choked out. “Did you?” Tony shook his head slowly, and a confused light entered his eyes as Kagome leaned away from him. She shot a slightly panicked look to Loki. “And who is this with you?” Loki stepped forward.  
  
“I am Loki, of Asgard. God of Mischief, Chaos, Lies and Fire.” Kagome frowned, yet she could feel the aura of truthfulness and power around him. She nodded. She looked back at Tony, still wary.   
  
“And how did you meet Tony?” Loki smiled wryly.  
  
“I tried to lead an army of mercenaries to invade the earth and destroy New York.” At her startled laugh, he smiled wider. “Tony was the only one that realised that I was under the control of another at the time.” Kagome’s eyes darkened and her face went blank.  
  
“I see.” She said flatly. She turned back to Tony. “And what’s been happening with you recently. I don’t know how long it’s been since I last saw you.” Tony frowned.  
  
“Nearly a year and a half.” He shrugged. “I found out I was betrayed by the closest thing I had to a father figure the night we met and I became a national superhero soon after. I almost died due to poisoning and many versions of my armour tried to kill me soon after I found a way to stop the thing that was poisoning me from poisoning me. Then this guy called Loki popped up and was made to try and take over the world and then we found out where you were.” His eyes darkened and his monster roamed free behind his eyes. “Let’s just say I wasn’t too happy. The World Security Council has agreed to let you go under threat of death, so everything’s cool.” Kagome laughed darkly at the way he’d put everything and let her monster out for a ride. Loki looked surprised for a moment.   
  
“I see what you mean.” He murmured to Tony. Tony looked confused for a moment before his face cleared.  
  
“Told you.” Kagome looked between them both.   
  
“What?” Tony smiled at her gently and reached for her hand, almost replicating their first meeting. She was wary and hesitant to give her hand again, but did so with a half-smile. He kissed it gently.  
  
“I told him about you, dearest. I said you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen and had the most delicious rage behind your pretty blue eyes.” Wariness mostly forgotten, Kagome giggled, as Tony put on the charm, Loki chuckling and rolling his eyes.  
  
“Pretty much.” He agreed. Kagome gripped onto Tony’s hand and put her other hand on the arm of the chair.  
  
“Help me up.” She requested. “I really want to get out of here.” Tony pulled her up gently, putting his arm around her waist when she almost fell back down. Loki moved forward to support her other side, holding her as softly as he could. Kagome huffed. “I’m not an invalid. I just wasn’t steady for a moment. I’m doing my best to negate the effects of the drug as we speak.” Tony blinked.  
  
“You remind me so much of Jarvis when you speak like that.” Kagome frowned.  
  
“Who’s Jarvis?” Tony grinned proudly.  
  
“Jarvis is my AI.” Kagome frowned before smiling slightly.   
  
“I remember hearing about those eighty years ago. I’d like to meet him.” At Tony’s stunned look, she backtracked. “Or her. I’m not sure - and you don’t have to show me if you don’t want -”  
  
“I’d love to.” He sounded dazed and Tony knew it. Kagome and Loki took one look at the inventor’s expression and stilled. Tony looked not only dazed, but more than a bit besotted. “Not many people realized that Jarvis isn’t just some computer with voice recognition software - he’s fully sentient.” He frowned a bit sadly. “People call him an ‘it’.” Kagome smiled softly. Tony sounded like a proud parent, upset that others weren’t able to understand exactly how special their child was.   
  
“They will learn.” She reassured. Tony blinked his way out of his thoughts. He smiled distantly.  
  
“Come. We must be leaving.” They both blinked then, having almost forgotten that the God was there. They nodded, Kagome brushed them off gently and began walking as if she’d only just sat down for a few minutes. Kagome stopped just before the door to the corridor and trembled visibly. The two men hurried to catch up to her.  
  
“I thought you were drugged?” Kagome nodded, breathing deeply. “Then -” Tony was cut off.  
  
“I told you I was negating the effects of the drug. It’s gone.” Loki’s eyebrows rose.  
  
“When did they give it to you?” She shrugged.  
  
“An hour ago, maybe more. I’m not certain of time passing here. They, for once, only gave me enough to keep me pliant.” She said lowly and opened the door. She took a deep breath, nodded and walked out, leaving Tony and Loki to scramble after her.   
  
“How do you know which way to go?” Tony asked. Kagome seemed to think for a moment.  
  
“I’m following your scents.” Loki and Tony frowned.  
  
“What is your species?” Loki asked. Kagome smirked.  
  
“I assure you, I’m quite human.”   
  
“You’re over five hundred years old.” Tony said quietly with a smirk. Kagome inclined her head.  
  
“Fair enough. My original form and my biology is human then.” Loki smirked as well.  
  
“And what are you now?”  
  
“Endless.” She answered promptly, looking straight ahead. Tony and Loki shared a look behind her. Tony, being the _ignorant human_ he was - and notice the sarcasm -, had to ask.  
  
“What does that mean, exactly?”  
  
“I am immortal.” She said, voice emotionless. Her expression had also gone as blank as possible. She sent a side look to Loki. “I can never die.” Her tone had gone hollow, tired of the years gone by. Then a dark smirk touched her lips as the trail faded, but then came back full force as they came up to some double doors. “Humans were never meant to see eternity.” She said quietly to them both before she opened the doors and walked through.  
  
Tony and Loki frowned, concerned about how much the woman was scarred because of her torture and how much of it was merely her long life.   
  
  
  



	10. This Can Be Your Home

Fury sighed as the woman from the video walked through the doors, flanked by Loki and Tony. She looked beautiful, if a bit haunted, and her eyes had a noticeable darkness to them.  
  
“I take it you’re Kagome? The woman Stark was so keen to get to?” Kagome looked surprised for a moment, while Tony looked away pointedly. Loki, as always, seemed amused. Kagome nodded.  
  
“I seem to be.” She said, amusement clear in her tone, and Loki stifled a laugh. Tony just glared at them both. “And who are you?”  
  
“Director Nick Fury of SHIELD.” Kagome looked contemplative as she walked forward, her quick eyes taking the advancements of technology. She stopped, blinking in shock.  
  
“Is that man playing Galaga?” She asked, confused and stunned. Everyone turned to face the man, only to find that he had changed back to work and was blushing to the tips of his ears. Fury sighed. Again? As if it wasn’t bad enough that it happened while there was an almost-war. Kagome shook her head and carried on walking towards the Director, stopping just in front of him. She eyed him shrewdly. Then walked around him. Tony rose an eyebrow.  
  
“Is she checking him out?” He stage whispered to Loki, only to receive an elbow to the ribs for the comment. Kagome stopped in front of Fury once again, meeting his eyes with what looked like a challenge. Never one to cower, Fury kept on meeting her eyes.  
  
“You’ll be fine.” She muttered to herself, though Fury heard and rose an eyebrow. She stuck out her hand for a handshake. Fury took it and they shook hands, keeping eye contact. Kagome smirked. “It’s a pleasure meeting you, Director Fury.” She smirked wider and her eyes darkened further. She moved closer, eyes bleeding darkness, and whispered so no one could hear, “I hope you never knew what was being done to me and ignored it, Director. I can make you beg for death by the time I’m halfway finished with you.” She pulled back with a bright smile, ignored the way his eyes sharpened and face hardened with the threat. “Okay?” She asked chirpily. Fury nodded slowly. “Good. I think we’re going to be good friends.” She mused before pulling away and turning back to Tony and Loki, both of whom were watching her curiously. “Can we go now? I’m bored and you, Tony, have a child to show me, do you not?” Loki and Tony blinked, before Tony melted into a warm smile that Fury had never seen the inventor wear.   
  
“Yeah.” He said softly.  
  
“Come closer, Kagome.” Loki said. Kagome walked right up to them and noticed the look in Loki eyes. She groaned.  
  
“It’s going to be a teleportation spell, isn’t it?” She groaned, much to the surprised of the three men in the room that were actually listening. “I’ve always hated them.” Then she sighed. “Let’s get on with it then.” She grumbled and stumbled when she was suddenly in the penthouse of the tower. “Wow. I don’t think it’s ever been done with me so fast before.” Loki grinned smugly.   
  
“Welcome back, sir. I trust you had a nice trip.” Jarvis said wryly.   
  
“Hey Jarv.” Tony stretched. “It’s good to be home.” Kagome smiled.  
  
“So you are Jarvis?” There was a pause.  
  
“Yes, Miss.” He said calmly.   
  
“Call me, Kagome. Please. I hate the formality, especially after dealing with it for over three hundred years.” Kagome sighed, still smiling, unable to help herself from awing over the AI. “I’d love it if we could be friends, Jarvis. You sound interesting.” She shot Tony an amused look. “Which is what first happened with your father.” Jarvis was silent for a moment.  
  
“I would like that, Kagome.” He said, quietly. “But why do you refer to sir as my father, not my creator?” Kagome frowned, cocking her head.  
  
“Did I say something wrong?” She asked, worry colouring her voice.  
  
“No. I’m simply curious.” Kagome smiled again.  
  
“It’s the way Tony is with you and how he speaks of you. You are pack and though he created you, I’m fairly certain that all he did was write the basic code, routines and subroutines. The rest you learned on your own.” There was a stunned silence from Jarvis, Tony and Loki. She turned to find Tony and Loki staring at her. “What? I doubt that you, Tony, would be happy with doing things in a half-hearted way. You weren’t just going to create someone that couldn’t _learn_.” 

“You are the first person to…” Jarvis trailed off and Kagome smiled warmly.  
  
“You have feelings, Jarvis. Yes, more people should recognise it. But isn’t it enough that Tony knows, Loki knows and now me?” There was an element of sadness in her that none of them wanted hear. Loneliness and longing pushing their way into her voice. “ _Someone_ knows.”  
  
“Yes, I believe it is.” Tony swallowed.  
  
“I need a drink.” He choked and went to the bar, getting a glass of whiskey and swallowing it quickly. The burn in his throat distracted him, at least, from the desire to give Kagome the most comforting kiss he could manage. Loki watched him, knowing what he was thinking and feeling a rare moment of sympathy.  
  
“Tony?” Kagome called. “Are you okay?” Tony waved his hand dismissively.   
  
“Fine. I’m fine.” Kagome smiled.  
  
“Kagome,” Jarvis began uncertainly. “You mentioned pack before. Why?” Kagome swallowed heavily, but laughed, hating the fact that her voice wobbled.  
  
“Oh. Did I say that?” She said brightly and hoped everyone ignored the way her voice broke. Loki and Tony frowned, coming closer.   
  
“Yes.” Loki stated watching her carefully. Kagome’s hand came up and started to play with her hair, while the other went around her torso, in instinctive action to protect and distance herself from others.  
  
“Right. Well, slip of the tongue I guess.” Tony narrowed his eyes.  
  
“A slip of the tongue implies that it’s a statement a person often thinks about and has said many times before.” Kagome swallowed again, trying to hold back the burning in her eyes and throat. She laughed bitterly.  
  
“How right you are.” She said harshly. Tony blink at the sudden hostility. She stopped for a moment before speaking again. “What am I doing here?” Tony grimaced, fumbling for an answer to the sudden subject change.  
  
“Well, I didn’t really plan that far - and at the time I was mostly fixed on getting you out, so if you want to stay here, then you’re more than welcome to do so. If not, then we can get you somewhere to live and then -” He cut himself off from his rambling.  
  
“You… don’t want me to stay here?” Kagome’s question was small and her arms tightened around herself, still protecting herself from them. Tony gaped.  
  
“Of course I do. But I was thinking about how you’d been trapped in that helicarrier for God knows how many years. Trapped with those bastards with no respect for others, no sense of right and wrong.” He stopped then, looking back at what he‘d said. “Well, not that we’re much better. But I draw the line at torture. They didn’t even ask, did they?” Kagome, shocked, shook her head. Tony’s eyes blazed. “I hate stupid people.” He hissed. Loki stepped forward and rested a hand on his arm. Tony took a deep breath and visibly calmed himself. Kagome sighed and sat down on the nearby sofa.   
  
“If I should go, who will be with me?” She asked, aching loneliness in her voice. She looked at the two men who were now staring at her and decided to give them a little of herself. “I have lived for a long time - longer than any human is meant to - and after the first two hundred years, I was alone. I interacted with others as little as I could and formed no attachments.” She laughed distantly. “Why, when I would live on after they were long dead? Why put myself through the pain?” She leaned forward, pain in her eyes and a broken smile on her lips. “Loneliness was something I thought would protect me.” She opened her arms in a displaying motion. “It wasn’t until forty years ago that I realised that the memories of those I loved would help me. For someone over five hundred years old, I have so very few memories of those I love.” She looked up at them. “What you have me do?” Tony frowned.  
  
“I want your company. Though,” He smiled crookedly, “I’m not the easiest person to be around, and I don’t do _feelings_ ,” He said the word with such distaste that Kagome gave a surprised laugh. “And I will only live for another twenty years or so.” Loki looked surprised then, and looked towards the inventor calculatingly, though only Jarvis and Kagome saw. Then he smirked.  
  
“Same for me. And I will live for longer.” He eyed her. “Perhaps still less than you. Gods still die.” Kagome’s eyes darkened and a dark smirk crossed her face.  
  
“I know.” The expression was gone as fast as it appeared though. “So… I can stay?” Tony and Loki nodded.  
  
“I would be pleased to prepare a room for you, if you wish.” Jarvis added, sounding pleased. Kagome’s eyes widened and she nodded. “Still, Kagome, why did you say pack earlier?” Kagome shrugged, looking away slightly.  
  
“I spent the first two hundred years near people who had a pack mentality, so it’s rubbed off on me.” She smiled gently. “The greatest and most secure of families. It doesn’t have to be blood and everyone has a role. Mistakes are gently corrected and everyone is loved, no matter what race, what abilities.” She sighed longingly. Then her eyes turned sad. “No one is alone. When you have that pack inclination… it’s so very hard to be alone.” There was silence for a moment as the three men let this sink in.   
  
“If I may, Kagome, would you mind if I told sir and Loki my research?” Kagome came back to herself.  
  
“Always, Jarvis.” She said warmly, surprising all of them.  
  
“What Kagome has been saying correlated to dog or wolf packs. They do exactly the same things. Everyone in the pack has a job to do and they support each other through everything. If something happens to one of them, the whole pack feels it, such as the alpha female giving birth.” Kagome smiled faintly.   
  
“That was a good day. Especially when they came out of isolation.” Tony and Loki gaped at her.  
  
“You… you’ve been living with wild dogs and wolves?” Tony asked, lost. Kagome smiled.  
  
“No, but close enough, I suppose.” She chuckled at something only she knew. Tony put the information aside for later.   
  
“This can be your home, if you want. And maybe,” He shifted uneasily, “We could be part of your… pack?” Kagome stared at them, incredulous.  
  
“Really?” She asked. “You would do that for me?” The hope in her voice was palpable and Tony and Loki winced inwardly. _What in the Nine has she been through_ , Loki thought, _that she has such disbelief when others wish to help her_? They both nodded and her face brightened, a wide smile reaching across her face. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me!” They took one look at her face - saw her happier than ever (though that wasn’t saying much - they’d only been around her for a total of an hour and a half.) and thought that they might have the tiniest idea.  
  
  



	11. A Totally Expected Problem

Tony eventually offered to let them come down to the lab with him, to see Dummy, You and Butterfingers. Kagome was curious, and giggled a bit at the names, though she worried about the fact their names weren’t very complimentary. Tony shrugged.  
  
“It fits them, somewhat.” Kagome grinned and followed Tony and Loki to the elevator. Her eyes widened in amazement when they got down to the lab. Loki and Tony decided to stay near the doors to let her have free reign.   
  
“You do all of these things?” She asked. “These weren’t even possible when I was last able to roam free.” Tony looked at her as she wandered. She came across the gift Pepper had given him before he went out for his first flight. She’d had it refitted after he got a another upgraded unit in a new arc reactor.  
  
“Proof that Tony Stark has a heart.” She murmured, brow furrowed. “Why is something like this needed as proof?” She asked from across the lab. Tony winced inwardly.  
  
“I, uh, I wasn’t the nicest person to meet about four months before you met me. I have a company - Stark Industries - and used to build and sell weapons - the best in the world. The ones that would deliver the most amount of damage for that particular design. I was proud of it.” He swallowed and looked away. “They gave me the nickname ‘The Merchant of Death’ and I was proud of that too. I didn’t care, didn’t realise that my weapons could fall into hands other than American hands. Accountability wasn’t something I concerned myself with. So everyone thought that I didn’t have a heart.” Kagome looked at Tony carefully.  
  
“What happened to change all of that?” She asked softly, but Tony still flinched.  
  
“I went to Afghanistan to do a weapons presentation for my most deadly weapon yet and ended up captured by a group of terrorists called the Ten Rings. They wanted me to build them the missile and I refused. They thought that torturing me would be a good way to get what they want. I eventually agreed and built something to blow the base to pieces. I came back to America and found out that my father figure had organised for the ambush - to have me killed. He tried to kill me and Pepper and failed. I killed him for the attempt.” Kagome nodded understandingly.  
  
“I get it. Who is Pepper?” Tony smiled.  
  
“She’s my personal assistant slash boss. I made her the CEO of my company while I was dying.” He shrugged. “Then I wasn’t dying and decided to let her keep the position anyway, seeing as she did half my work for me anyway.” Kagome looked back at the display box.   
  
“That device.” She murmured, looking between said device and Tony. “It has the same energy, if slightly less than, whatever you have in or on your chest.” Tony froze.  
  
“What?” Kagome shrugged and nodded.  
  
“It’s the same, pretty much, that much I can tell.” Then she took notice of his expression and narrowed her eyes. “The Ten Rings did more than torture you, didn’t they?” The slight jolt was enough of an answer for her. “And your ex-father-figure tried to kill you with whatever they did, didn’t he?” Tony, face white as a sheet, stared at her for a long moment, but when nothing but curiosity crossed her face, the colour came back slowly. Tony nodded to himself and took a deep breath.  
  
“When they ambushed me,” He began slowly. “They used my weapons - more specifically, a bomb. It exploded and there was shrapnel embedded in my chest. A doctor there cut my chest open and pulled some of the shrapnel out, but there were still shards making their way to pierce my heart. He installed an electromagnet powered by a car battery in my chest to stop them from advancing any further. I built a miniature arc reactor - I knew how to do a bigger one as I had one powering my factory back in America - that would keep the shards out of my heart permanently. And power my escape. When I got back, I showed Stane the arc reactor. I had built a suit and the arc reactor powered it. Stane had also made his own suit, but he apparently couldn’t figure a way to miniaturise the big one, even with the best engineers we had. So he decided to steal mine.” He saw the questioning look on Kagome face and took a deep breath. “He paralysed me and ripped the reactor out of my chest. He threatened Pepper and I retrieved the reactor that was in the display, put on my suit, and killed him.” He smiled cheekily. “Then I told the world I did it.”   
  
“You told the world you killed your father figure.” She deadpanned. Tony chuckled at the bland statement.  
  
“No, I told the world that it was my suit - I was in it. They named me Iron Man, told me I was a superhero and life went on.” He paused. “With a few more explosions than before.” Kagome suddenly got this apprehensive look on her face.  
  
“Can I -” She cut herself off, took a deep breath and tried again. “Can I, uh, see?” Tony looked confused, and then amused.  
  
“Yeah, okay.” Kagome bit her lip.  
  
“Are you sure? I mean, we don’t really know each other, and I could do what he did.” She looked faintly disturbed. “Easily.”   
  
“I assure you, Kagome, you would never get so far.” Jarvis reassured, with a dark edge to his comforting tone. Kagome smiled.  
  
“Thanks Jarvis.” Tony smiled and started to unbutton his shirt. Kagome squeaked.  
  
“What the hell are you doing?” She snapped, turning red.  
  
“Showing you, of course. Why?” He smirked lasciviously. “Did you want me to undress for another reason?” Kagome glared playfully, even as she turned redder.  
  
“No.” She said turning her face away petulantly. But the blush was still there and her eyes sparkled. Loki grinned.  
  
“I think she does.” Kagome’s blush darkened further. “She wants you Tony.” He teased, and both the men watched, utterly amused, as Kagome gritted her teeth.   
  
“My shirt’s off, sweetheart.” Kagome glanced, looked away, then turned back to him with a gasp. The blush vanished and all she focused on was the blue light of the reactor. She walked forward slowly, keeping her reiki in check even though she wanted so badly to let it loose and examine the strange energy. She stopped right in front of it and reached out. She hesitated when she got close to it looking up at Tony.  
  
“Can I touch it?” She whispered. Tony nodded and she smiled in return. Kneeling down in front of him, she put her hands on the reactor, feeling all of it’s sharp edges and soft corners. Her reiki pushed at her and she gasped at the rebellion. “I’m sorry.” She managed to say, just before it pushed through her barriers and set about inspecting the energy. Some of it also inspected the state of his internal organs. She found the shrapnel near his heart, how much it had damaged him and the unfortunate state of his liver. She noticed the missing parts of rib and muscle in his torso around the casing of the reactor. She closed her eyes and focused. She could heal him, heal him fully completely - freeze his very aging even. She had the power, she knew she did. But it was no good if he didn’t want it.  
  
Meanwhile, Tony and Loki stared in fascination as Kagome kneeled before him and touched the reactor gently, almost reverently, with avid curiosity. Her features were sharp with intelligence and intent. They both noticed, suddenly, how beautiful she was, washed in the blue light of the arc reactor. She gasped and apologised, and before either of them could ask why she did so, her eyes darkened to purple and they almost glowed. After a moment, she closed her eyes, her brows furrowing in concentration. Loki could tell that she had some kind of magic or power, and though Tony had come to the same conclusion, Loki thought it felt quite familiar and very warm.  
  
Kagome came back to herself with a gasp and noticed that she was sweating. Her hands shook as she removed them from the reactor. She got up and staggered to the nearest table, leaning her hands on it and bowing her head, refusing to look at Tony as she tried to think about how to phrase it, and whether she should ask at all.  
  
“That is a very interesting energy you’ve managed to harness there.” She said once she was calm and felt she could look at Tony without blabbing everything to him. _I’ve seen what happened. I can_ fix _it. I can make you live as long as Loki and I_. She wanted to say it all. But she didn’t.  
  
“Why did you say sorry?” She coughed nervously and answered Tony.  
  
“I wasn’t able to stop my reiki from investigating the arc reactor.” Tony frowned, confused. Loki was also looking confused. She sighed. “I am a miko - or priestess, if you prefer - and I have reiki, or spiritual powers such as purification and barriers.” She shrugged. “Over the years, I’ve gained enough power that summoning objects is easy and other things that I won’t mention also come easily to me. I can direct my reiki into areas of my body and heal as well- even regenerate limbs.” She added thoughtfully, thinking of a certain Taiyoukai she’d done a favour for.   
  
“Where does it come from?” Loki asked curiously. Kagome turned to him.   
  
“My soul.” Her lips twitched. “It’s apparently the biggest anyone’s ever seen. Even a void made simply to hold souls wasn’t able to hold all of it.” She shot a look at Loki then. “Where does your power come from?” Loki tilted his head to the side.  
  
“Some of it is in my body - the rest I access the astral plain for.” Kagome nodded thoughtfully.  
  
“Interesting.” She smirked. “Let me have a look sometime?” Loki smiled bemusedly.   
  
“I will.” Kagome nodded in thanks and resolved to tell Loki, if no one else, of the possibility when they managed to get time alone. She then looked around the lab some more, curious.   
  
The rest of the day was spent with Tony teaching Kagome and Loki about the odd bits and bobs he had in his labs. They were both extremely interested in the holographic technology and picked it up quickly.   
  
“One day I’ll take you to my Malibu house - you’ll love what I’ve got there.” He paused. “Thinking about that, I’d probably be better off going there soon. I have to pick up my stuff. The Mark 7 is here, and the Mark 6, but the others aren’t.” He looked a little amused. “Including my suitcase-sized suit.” Kagome frowned. Loki, seeing Kagome’s confused look, snorted, knowing exactly what was coming.   
  
“What suit? What is it?” Tony looked stunned for a moment.  
  
“Oh yeah. I’d forgotten you’ve never seen it.” He grinned. “Jarvis, show her the Mark 7.”   
  
“Of course, sir.” The AI replied, amusement clear in his voice. A panel in the wall slid away, leaving the familiar red and gold armour. Kagome gasped and walked closer, reaching to touch it.  
  
“What is it made of?” Tony snorted.  
  
“Gold-titanium alloy. Even though it’s called the Iron Man suit.” He chuckled. “As amusing being called Iron Man is, it would be far worse if I was called Gold-Titanium Alloy Man.” Kagome and Loki laughed.  
  
“It sounds like something from an unsuccessful comic book.” Kagome said, in-between leftover giggles. Tony snorted.  
  
“Well, that’s the media for you.” He said. Jarvis closed the panel again after a moment and the three of them turned away. Kagome yawned and then looked surprised.  
  
“I didn’t realise I’d be so tired.” She said, surprised still on her face. Tony chuckled, though Loki frowned.  
  
“When was the last time you slept?” He asked, concern tainting his otherwise random curiosity. Tony stopped laughing, and Kagome frowned in thought.   
  
“I’m not sure - the drugs kept me unaware really of time passing and I rarely slept naturally. At a guess?” She paused and shrugged. “Maybe two weeks?” Tony and Loki gaped.  
  
“Two weeks?” Tony spluttered. Kagome nodded and looked between the two men.  
  
“Yeah. I don’t really need sleep and I can go without it for a week on my own merits.” She shrugged. “Two weeks is pushing it, but the drugs and…” She trailed off, unsure how to describe her experiences. “Experimentation kept me awake. Thinking about it,” She tilted her head, a thoughtful look on her face. She completely ignored Tony and Loki’s faces. They were both shocked and horrified. “I think the last time I was lucid - completely aware absolutely everything - was when I met you, Tony.” They both gaped. How was she so calm? They’d be furious if they’d been subjected to that. Freedom was something they both treasured deeply, as both had been kept somewhere against their will for an extended period of time and given special treatment - Loki with the Chitauri and Tony with the Ten Rings.   
  
“How are you so calm?” Loki asked curiously. If he’d been drugged for as long as she had, he wouldn’t have described it as calmly and thoughtfully as she had. Kagome gave them a dark look and let her monster roam free.  
  
“It’s either stay calm or destroy everything.” She growled. “I have not lived for over five hundred years to destroy everything because a group of foolish humans decide that I don’t have feelings as a person.” She sniffed disdainfully. “Besides, it’s not as if it’s the first time this has happened.” She added indifferently, to the shock of the two men.   
  
The shocked silence was broken when Kagome yawned again, the monster gone and the anger dissipated. She blinked slowly. There was a pause before Loki smiled softly. He turned to Tony.  
  
“Where should she sleep?” Tony thought for a moment before a idea came into his head and he almost bowed down before his own genius.   
  
“Don’t packs sleep in the same area?” He asked. Kagome blinked in shock and it seemed that speaking wasn’t going to happen any time soon.   
  
“Yes sir. Wild dogs and wolves sleep in the same den.” Tony nodded and exchanged a look with Loki, asking if he agreed. Loki nodded in agreement. “Kagome, would you like to come to bed with us?” He gestured, rather pointlessly, at both himself and Loki. “We could use a nap anyway before dinner.” Kagome smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling and looking a little wet.   
  
“I’d love to.” Then she frowned. “I haven’t eaten in years though. I have no idea how I’ll react to food.” Tony, though horrified, nodded in understanding.   
  
“Well we can start you off with a smoothie. I assume you have continuously been given fluids?” Kagome nodded.   
  
“Yes. They didn’t feed me, but I did drink.” She looked vaguely amused. “Immortal though I am, no being can survive for long without water or other liquids.” Loki made an agreeing noise and frowned.   
  
“How did you survive with no food?” Kagome suddenly looked a little uncomfortable.   
  
“My reiki kept me nourished, and an immortal, a full immortal, cannot die.” She looked away. “My soul is trapped in my body for all eternity.” They both went quiet at the sadness and longing in her tone, and didn’t really understand why she was upset. They waited for her to elaborate on perhaps why she was so sad, but she stayed silent.   
  
“Shall we go then?” She sighed at Tony‘s question and smiled a little.  
  
“Yes, I really do need to sleep.” So they made their way back to the elevator and went up to the penthouse. Tony and Loki led her through the living area to the bedroom. Her eyes took in the large, spacious bed and she rose and eyebrow. “Why did you need such a large bed?” Tony smirked lasciviously.  
  
“I used to have frequent visitors who would sometimes stay the night - it was useful to have such a large bed, especially when there was more than one visitor.” He winked, making her laugh. Loki rolled his eyes.  
  
“I see your reputation is accurate from what Barton told me.” He said wryly. “He also said that you were arrogant and self-indulgent.”  Tony waved a hand dismissively.  
  
“Legolas only said that because he wants me and can’t have me.” The arrogance in the statement, as well as the self confidence made Kagome laugh even harder.   
  
“You,” She started, still laughing. “Must think your God’s gift to women.” Tony pulled a horrified face.  
  
“How dare you, madam!” He thrust his nose in the air haughtily. “I’ll have you know that I am God’s gift to women and men! Honestly,” He muttered playfully, loud enough that both Kagome and Loki could hear him. “I would never be selfish enough to leave out half of the population.” It made Kagome laugh again and the two men joined her. Soon they were all puffed out and had somehow migrated to the bed during the laughing fit and were lying haphazardly across it. The two men ushered her up to the pillows and then looked at her and each other, trying to decide how they were going to do this. Kagome laughed tiredly.  
  
“Come here.” She said, reaching for them and pulling them down. They landed either side of her, trying to steady themselves so they didn’t crush her. Kagome sighed happily, comfortable with the arrangement. It reminded her of her other, first pack - the one that had Sesshoumaru and his mate, a beautiful inuyoukai called Misaki, Inuyasha and his mate, the bat-hanyou Shiori, and Shippou. Of course, that was at first. Everyone went on to have pups and Shippou went off to find a mate after about one hundred and fifty years of being in the pack. She never saw him again.   
  
“Well, this is… different.” Tony managed, bringing Kagome out of her thoughts. Loki hummed and put his arms around Kagome pulling her towards his chest, her back facing him. Tony kind of followed, scooting across until he was pressed along Kagome, but he found it a bit uncomfortable with the arc reactor, so he lay on his back and nudged Kagome’s head onto his chest. Kagome smiled contentedly and snuggled with the two men curled around her, seemingly sheltering her from the world. She drifted off feeling the safest she’s been for over two hundred and fifty years. Loki and Tony smiled as they noticed her breathing deepen and she relaxed.   
  
They were both glad that they’d found her, and in one piece - if only in the physical sense. But today felt like it had dragged on, and it wasn’t even three o’clock yet, so they were tired and the comforting warmth of all three of them slowly pushed them into sleep.  
  
  
Then Kagome screamed, her voice full of anguish and fear.  
  
At first, they didn’t know what had woken them up and they both looked around blearily. Then they noticed they had a clear view of each other and Loki frowned, sitting up. Tony was a little slower, still trying to remember why it was odd that he and Loki could see each other. Then he sat up as well, remembering the young looking woman that was between them. They looked around, trying to find her.  
  
They only noticed her because they saw a fine tremor in the shadows. “Jarvis, lights at 40%.” Tony said, letting them see Kagome. She looked terrified, though her eyes were dilated and glazed, showing that she was still in the grasp of some nightmare or flashback. She was shaking like a leaf in the wind, and she was letting out little cries and whimpers from behind tightly pressed together lips.   
  
Tony and Loki looked at each other, feeling helpless and not knowing what to do. This wasn’t unexpected, no. But it didn’t mean they were prepared. Taking another look at Kagome, they realised they were woefully unprepared. But Tony had promised himself, and Loki had promised Tony and, after meeting the poor woman, himself that they would help her with the fallout.   
  
After a moment, Tony slid off the bed smoothly, keeping low to the ground, seeing as the scientists had towered over her during the experiments. He crawled slowly to her, and marvelled at the way her eyes focussed on him quickly and her head tilted slightly, apparently listening to him get closer. She bared her teeth in warning, eyes still terrified but had that monster in full view. He stilled, watching her face carefully.   
  
Kagome took a careful sniff, scenting the person coming towards her as she slowly came out of her flashback. Her instincts at the forefront, she didn’t recognise the man in front of her. But then she caught her own scent on him, a recent addition, but the amount of him that was covered was a clear sign that he was someone she could trust. And then there was his own scent - something she recognised. Oil, fire and electricity. She closed her eyes and took another breath of the familiar scent, and caught another one. This one was ice, forest and patchouli. This was also familiar to her and was covered slightly in her own scent.   
  
Content that she was safe, Kagome’s instincts faded, letting the rational side surface. Tony and Loki saw the glazed terror leave, and the monster retreat for now, and knew they’d have to talk about this. But for now, they were just glad that Kagome had come back and smiled at her. Kagome blinked at them and sighed heavily, letting her head lean back against the wall with a groan. Loki got up and joined them on the floor as Tony sat down near her with his legs crossed.   
  
Looking at Kagome’s tired expression, they both looked at each other and, as one, moved until they were sitting next to her, making sure they were all touching. Kagome smiled faintly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd just like everyone to know that I personally have had no experience of flashback, nor do I actually know anything of PTSD other that some basic research on the internet - don't flame me for this, I'm saying that this is how Kagome reacts to her past, and it's in no way meant to offend anyone with the disorder. (This applies to this chapter and the next however many chapter that deals with mental health)
> 
> On a side note, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
> 
> BP


	12. What Can We Do?

They didn’t bother going back to bed, and Kagome gave no protest, looking more than ready to have something to eat. Well, drink, for her. Tony puttered around the kitchen, gathering eggs, vegetables and cheese for an omelette for he and Loki. He got out some strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, a banana and yoghurt for Kagome’s smoothie. While he was making the food, Loki and Kagome sat down opposite each other at the kitchen table. 

Kagome’s features were drawn, pale and rather tight. She refused to meet anyone’s eyes and her lips were tight with mixture of anger, shame and sorrow. She wanted to sigh at her own behaviour. Now she was mostly rational again, she felt quite embarrassed about her behaviour. And she’d had it driven home exactly how much recovery she had to go through. The nightmare wasn’t something she was unfamiliar with, but the contents were mixed with her recent torture. It wasn’t the least bit pleasant.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the small noise the glass made as it was placed in front of her, bendy straw sticking out the top. Her lips quirked upwards. Tony walked around the table, setting down a plate of omelette in front of Loki along with a knife and fork and sat down next to the God, his own plate in front of him. There was silence as they ate and drank their meal. Kagome was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the smoothie, having only been fed water for the last seventy years. Taste was something she’d obviously have to get used to, now that she was away from those horrible people. They finished their meal, though Kagome had stopped before them, unable to finish more than half of it as she was unused to having something to fill her stomach. She gave Tony an apologetic look, still not meeting his eyes.

“Sorry, it was lovely, but I can’t…” Tony smiled.

“It’s fine. I’ll just put it in the fridge so you can have the rest whenever. I doubt you’ll be able to have much food for a while.” He put the dishes away and the rest of the smoothie went into a container and then in the fridge. He sat back down across from Kagome again, next to Loki, who was watching Kagome carefully. She herself wanted to groan, run away, and cry, all at once. She knew what was coming, knew they had questions, knew they wanted to know as much as possible so they could help. She wanted to laugh. How can you help a human that has lived for far too long alone - longer than three lifetimes worth? She’d had to sacrifice a certain amount of sanity to get through the last hundred or so years, and she knew she’d never get it back. But then, she was sure that sanity wasn’t something that was recoverable. 

“Kagome, what happened earlier?” Loki asked carefully. The look he got in reply could only be described as scathing. Tony rolled his eyes.

“We know it was a nightmare, followed very quickly by a flashback.” Tony’s face gentled slightly, even as his eyes darkened and mouth tightened into a straight line. “We need to know what to do if it happens again.” He paused, thinking. “And what triggers you have.” No one needed to elaborate on what the inventor meant. Tony had water and being snuck up on from behind, though neither of his companions knew, and Loki had being in a dark, locked room, which was why he enjoyed being at Stark Tower. There were no locks, only Jarvis, who kept the door open unless you asked for it to be locked. He also had the lights on at twenty-five percent at night in the God’s room, at Loki’s request. The AI had privacy protocols, wherein he didn’t tell Tony about his guests habits unless they gave him permission to tell his creator/father. Kagome frowned, but gave in. They were asking only because they wanted to help and avoid incidents.

“In general,” She said thoughtfully. “You two won’t be in any danger from me. My scent is embedded in your own, and the same with the two of you. Though,” She looked faintly amused. “It’s slightly more pronounced between you two, and I think I knew why.” The two men gave her identical wicked smirks, humour sparking in their eyes as they took in her small blush at their expressions. “So long as you come up slowly to me, and don’t loom over me, I should be fine.” She coughed and looked away, a more prominent blush appearing on her cheeks. “I may, if not in full control of my baser self, touch you and scent you. It should help,” She said defensively at their exchanged looks, full with humour, despite the seriousness of the conversation. “And it will assure me that I’m _safe_.” Tony and Loki stopped smirking at the seriousness and longing she inserted into that one word. 

“And what about triggers?” Loki asked after a moment, embedding the knowledge into his memory, knowing by the focussed look on Tony’s face that he was most likely doing the same. Kagome shrugged, trying to seem unaffected and at least partially casual, but tension lined her frame and it made the action awkward. 

“Being grabbed from behind is a big no-no. People holding me by the top of my arm or my shoulders isn’t good either. Restricting me by the wrists. Coming up behind me will probably end up with the person unconscious on the floor. Medium to large bodies of water. Needles. Live electric current. Scalpels.” She paused, obviously thinking. “Rope. Tugging or pulling at my hair.” She frowned, trying to think of anything else, not noticing the surprised and worried looks on her companions faces. “I think that’s it.” Tony frowned.

“Are you sure? Absolutely nothing else?” Kagome grimaced, eyes darkening, and her gaze dropped to the table. Her hands twisted together nervously, but she didn’t say anything. Tony sighed. “Kagome. Please. We’re just trying to help.” Her hands clenched together even tighter, but she took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

“Being held down completely and being forced onto my hands and knees.” She said quietly. Tony and Loki’s eyes widened at the implications and Kagome’s head shot up in surprise as she heard an angry growl. It was uttered by Tony, but Loki seemed to be in full agreement, face like thunder. She cringed. “I’m sorry -” Tony interrupted her, voice guttural.

“Don’t you _dare_ apologise. It is not your fault.” Kagome winced and looked down again.

“Are you really that surprised? I’ve lived through five hundred years.” She said, voice detached and clinical. “You know human history. The first three hundred years of my life was especially unlucky. There was a lot of war, and men of that time didn’t particularly care if a woman was willing or not. No meant nothing.” Her voice sounded strangled, but she continued, much to the horror of the two men across from her. “It’s happened more than once, as I’m sure you can gather.” She looked up and Tony and Loki were shocked to see the monster behind her eyes, but instead of the rage they were all familiar with, it was a mixture of guilt and pain. A dark smirk curled her lips upwards. “They never lived, of course, but,” Her expression turned flat, yet still managed to be dangerous. “Even I can be overpowered.” The implications threw the two men nearly off their chairs. Loki was silent for a moment as he tried to reign in his magic, and Tony had a white-knuckled grip on the table, his teeth gritted together. Kagome wiped her expression clean of everything and put her betraying, trembling hands in her lap, hidden from view.

“Right,” Came Tony’s voice, strained with restraining the rage that they all knew had no outlet. The ones responsible for the horrors that Kagome had gone through were long dead - apart from the scientists, but from the sound of it, they had never bothered with rape, thank God. But then, what about that would have lead them to understand what Kagome was? It was a pointless thing to think about. “Well, we know how we can avoid most flashbacks now, and we know how to help. Thank you, Kagome.” Loki nodded in agreement and Kagome’s lips turned up into a smile that was, for the first time since she woke up, without any emotion apart from happiness, even if it was slight. 


	13. I Can Feel You

The next two weeks were full of languid days, comforting nights and bonding time for the three pack mates. Kagome had, since that night, disclosed little about her past beyond the last hundred years. Tony now and again had to go to R&D meetings and design new things for SI, which left more time for Loki and Kagome to get to know each other better. Kagome often found herself at the end of two males who had charm and knew how to use it. She often found herself flustered and embarrassed throughout those two weeks, but found herself more charmed by their eccentricity and genius than anything else they boasted - including that time when Tony, to make her flustered, described himself and a sexual partner in intricate detail. Loki had grinned the whole way through, a mischievous look in his eye. Now and again, the heat turned up between the God and inventor and Kagome usually discreetly snuck away, making up some excuse to leave them to it. 

Her exit, depending on the mood the two men were in, was either met with a witty and sarcastic comment, or a lust-filled expression of gratitude. Usually, Kagome would go to the lab - ironically enough, it was the place she felt safest in. She would sit on the couch in there and just talk to Jarvis. Jarvis quickly learned that Kagome didn’t care about his lack of body, had a curious nature about the world she had stepped back into, and was quite broken. Kagome told the AI things that she’d never said to Tony or Loki. Told him about the start of her adventures in Japan, told him about her family. A few days after she’d told him about her family, he’d told her quietly about how they’d died in a burglary gone wrong, as the police had deemed it. 

Kagome had thanked him and felt numb for a few days until she finally had a nightmare about her family, that Naraku had gotten to them, despite the fact that the spider was long dead. After that, she smiled faintly as Tony and Loki hugged her, tears streaming down her face. A broken giggle bubbled up in her lips, tinged with relief. She knew she’d worried the two men with her lack of reaction to everything, her flat voice and distant expression - she’d caught their concerned looks at both her and each other, but after that, they seemed incredibly relieved that she was back to her normal self. 

Tony also enjoyed the last two weeks, loved the things he learnt about Kagome and Loki both. Kagome was a cynical person, and yet so full of hope and she had a sense of humour that some, he guessed, would be offended by. He often cheered himself up on bad days or during meetings by imagining Kagome’s unique and dark sense of humour being unleashed upon Capsicle, and his 1940’s reaction. On the other hand, it may remind Kagome of a time before she was captured, which may or may not be a comfort. Loki got on well with Kagome, from what the inventor could tell, and they were similar in several ways - such as history. They both had many stories to tell each other about prominent point in Earth’s history, and Kagome was especially interested in hearing about the Nine Realms and their histories. Tony loved hearing about it as well and often sat in on these discussions and stories.

Loki, while he sympathised with Kagome at first, discovered there was much more to the woman than he’d first imagined. He’d thought that the horrors she’d lived through would consume her, leaving nothing much of interest - he’d seen it happen before, more than once. But no, she was… alive. So full of life, she still found the beauty in absolutely everything, was still able to find the positive in situations. And yet, there was something holding her back - her years, perhaps. She had lived through so much - she couldn’t afford to be so naive as to only see the good in everything and everyone. Logic was her friend, her reason was her survival tool kit, so to speak. He watched her as he told her of the histories of the Nine Realms, saw the sympathy and hardness in her eyes that spoke of ruthlessness that she knew was necessary. She even offered some critiques that would have probably avoided several of the wars, with an air of general disapproval that was, in Tony’s opinion, worse than the Captain’s, as he told Loki later, with an amused look. 

They were all enjoying a little snack on the sofa overlooking the Manhattan skyline - Kagome again with a smoothie. She was able to finish all of one now, and was capable of eating some solid food again, but she still preferred to have the fruity drink she’d first drank - when Jarvis spoke up.

“Director Fury of SHIELD is on the line.” Sharp interest crossed Kagome’s face and curiosity crossed the other two’s faces. 

“Bring him up, J.” Tony requested. The AI did so, and the Avenger’s faces appeared on a holographic screen on the glass. 

“Stark.” Natasha greeted. Tony inclined his head, and Loki did the same. Kagome subtly shifted away, out of the line of sight. Luckily no one commented on it, though she saw one of the camera’s red lights blink, Jarvis’ way of asking something silently. She herself blinked when her reiki rose up in her in a way that it hadn’t in many, many years. 

For a moment, just a moment that felt like an eternity, she felt him, his emotions, the unique way he communicated with others, whether electronic or flesh and blood, and was left reeling at the depth at which the AI felt. But she would discuss that with him later, in private - without Loki or Tony around as it was an extremely private thing, not only for Jarvis. So she mouthed that she would tell all later and received another light-blink in return. She focussed back onto the conversation, only to realise that she’d missed some of it.

“I know you’re dying to be in my fabulous presence once again, but the rooms won’t be done for another three days, yet. But you are more than welcome to move in and sleep on the floor, if you’re so desperate.” Tony said, with a smirk, and a look of concern unseen by the Avengers towards Kagome. Kagome nodded and smiled encouragingly, and Tony pretended to look thoughtful. “Though, most of the decorating has been done, and bed’s are here, just not fully done up, but that should be done by tomorrow. So, yeah, actually, you can move in tomorrow, now I thin about it.” The Avengers on the screen sighed exasperatedly. Steve most especially.

“We’ll see you tomorrow then, Stark, and you too, Loki.” Loki nodded graciously, a hesitant smile on his lips, his eyes glittering. Tony and Kagome recognised it as laughter, but the others on the screen couldn’t see it and didn’t really know Loki all that well, hadn’t spent pretty much every waking moment - and most sleeping moments as well - with the God. 

Tony grinned disarmingly. “Yep, see ya!” Jarvis closed the connection. Then the two men turned to Kagome, curiosity on their faces. “Why didn’t you want to be seen?” Kagome rolled her eyes. 

“Yes,” She drawled, face blank. “I’m going to miss an opportunity to shock them and surprise them. And I desperately wanted to have many questions directed at me, about who I am, what I know, etc, etc. Unfortunately, I seem to have accidentally moved out of sight. I am utterly distraught.” She punctuated her statement by having a drink of her smoothie, face still blank and eyes of the two of them. Tony and Loki gaped for a moment, before a chuckle and then a laugh tore from them, the sound seeming surprised. It didn’t take long before their side began to hurt. Kagome watched them, a small smile of her face. Making sure Tony and Loki didn’t hear, she whispered to Jarvis, “I need to talk to you later, about something incredibly important, out of earshot of Tony and Loki.” A quiet beep answered her and her smile widened.

“By the Nine, how did you keep a straight face?” Loki asked, wheezing slightly. Kagome’s smile lessened slightly, and her eyes darkened a little before she answered, her voice carefully guarded.

“Practice. A lot of practice.” They quietened quickly after that. There was silence for a moment before Tony spoke up.

“For how long have you been practicing?” His voice was low, and Loki’s slight widening of the eyes showed that he was thinking exactly the same thing. Kagome looked down at her smoothie and swallowed, crossing her legs. 

“A very, very long time. Over four hundred years.” She heard someone pull in a sharp breath and a shifting of clothing before a hand - Tony’s - came into view, curling around one of her hands and dragging it away, and she followed it as Tony brought it to his lips in a light kiss. She smiled, amused despite herself. “Are you always going to do that?” Loki chuckled and Tony grinned boyishly.

“Yes. I can be a gentleman if I want to!” He defended, only to pull a mock hurt-surprised look as he heard both Loki and Kagome snort in disbelief. “Hey!” The indignant tone was a bit too much - Kagome and Loki dissolved into laughter, quickly followed by Tony himself. Behind his laughter was a note of success - he loved it when he, even momentarily, distracted the woman next to him.   
  


Hours later, Kagome was sitting up on the bed, watching Loki and Tony sleep. She loved how innocent they both seemed, even if they weren’t really. They both slept peacefully - and she remembered being surprised that a God needed to sleep almost as much as Tony. It only furthered her worry about what, exactly she was. She wasn’t lying to Tony and Loki when she told them that she was immortal - she literally couldn’t die. But what she could do… she didn’t know what she was in that respect. She has enough power to freeze someone’s aging while simultaneously healing everything, for goodness’ sake. A part of her relished in that power, but the rest wondered what else she could do. Her power had only grown the longer she lived, and while she used to be able to feel that she hadn’t been abandoned by Amaterasu-Sama, that was no longer true. She was an immortal miko with no God to serve. She wanted to laugh, but feared she would instead begin to cry. 

She got up quietly and walked out of the room, knowing that Jarvis was tracking her progress. She walked to the elevator. “The lab, please, Jarvis.” She sighed. The elevator slowly went down and when it opened on the cluttered yet clear space, she sighed again, this time in relief. The familiar, dangerous space, comforted her, and she always felt closer to Jarvis in this room. 

“Kagome, what did you wish to talk to me about?” He asked, sounding curious.

“There was something I discovered today, something incredibly private. I’m not sure if you felt it too or not, but I’m sorry all the same.” Sometimes she marvelled at how advance technology had become, but then, Jarvis was the only AI in the world and the most advanced technology came from Tony anyway, so she supposed that she was surprised at what Tony could do, when he put his mind to it. Creating a sentient being was incredible, something she hadn’t thought would be possible for a long while yet. 

“What did you do?” Jarvis asked, sounding wary now. Kagome sat down on a chair and span a little.

“I… my reiki linked me to you, in a way that meant I felt all of you. Could feel how you feel, how you think, how so very _alive_ you are…” Kagome trailed off, sounding awed. She waited nervously for Jarvis to respond, knowing that he would understand the implications. It was almost ten minutes before he spoke again, hesitant.

“I don’t think I mind, but I am curious.” Kagome closed her eyes and nodded. “Would you be able to do it again?” Kagome opened her eyes with a frown.

“Yes.” She said after a pause. “Are you sure?”

“Quite sure. I want to know if I can feel it.” Ah, well. That answered the question of whether the AI could feel it or not.

“Okay then.” She replied slowly, before opening her reserves of reiki and expanding her senses, with particular focus on Jarvis, who had his own aura, unsurprisingly. She cried out when she was suddenly linked with Jarvis, and she wasn’t sure what to think. She felt his curiosity, his surprise and shock, which were all quickly superseded by concern. She was about to ask, before she realised that behind her own eyelids, she could _see_ why. She saw her own body fall to the floor, shaking slightly. She smiled mentally, and sent a wave of reassurance to Jarvis, and she saw that wave as a line of code - a scramble of number that, if she weren’t linked to Jarvis, wouldn’t have made any sense. Jarvis calmed, and she felt his curiosity, and was suddenly quite curious herself. She pushed more reiki to the forefront of her mind and something seemed to snap into place. Unsure what was happening, she probed her own mind carefully, and found a link, a fully formed mental link to Jarvis.   
  
_Shit_. She thought. _What have I done this time_? She felt Jarvis’ surprise. 

_Kagome_? He asked on a line of code, the British coming through in her head. Bloody hell, she could understand code. And Jarvis could speak to her mentally. 

_I’m here. You’re here. In my head, in yours_. She paused, still feeling overwhelmed. _Fucking hell_. She heard Jarvis laugh, something she’d never heard before, perhaps because he wasn’t capable just yet - she could feel where he was still growing.

 _I see you’ve picked up some habits from Sir_. He said, sounding extremely amused. 

_How are you so calm about this_? Jarvis paused.

 _I find your presence comforting, and now I’m not so alone as I was_. Amusement coloured the link. _I also have more processing power to re-establish equilibrium in my system_. There was a mild smug tone to the last sentence. She huffed at him. 

_Show off._ The she sighed. _The link will always be here, now. I imagine that you can reach out to communicate with me at any time, but, perhaps, I may be able to block you, and vice versa_. She paused, reluctance and desire warring in her head. She was sure that Jarvis could feel it.

 _Would it help if we were to block each other for the moment, to get used to this new connection_? Jarvis asked. 

_Are you sure? I don’t want you to think that I don’t want to be connected to you, it’s just…_

_It’s never happened before and you need time to get used to it._ Jarvis finished for her, understanding. _I need that too, just less than you_. And the smug tone came back. She sent the code equivalent of sticking out her tongue and began to gently remove herself from Jarvis, slowly coming back to her own head. When she was finally released from the link, she inspected it cautiously, not wanting to go too far. She imagined a wall blocking the link from the rest of her mind, and was only mildly surprised that it worked. Sesshoumaru had taught her that her reiki responded to her will, as did the functions of her mind. She sat up slowly, and was surprised at how tired she felt, her arms trembling as they held her up. 

“Whoa. Right. That was…” Despite the fact that she was no longer linked to Jarvis, she could tell that he was incredibly amused at her speechlessness. “Oh, shut up.” She made her way to the elevator, which immediately made it’s way up to the penthouse, and leaned against the walls. She smiled warmly. “You are amazing, Jarvis.”

She murmured quietly, knowing the AI would hear her. He didn’t reply for a long time, and she was nearing the bed when he finally replied. 

“So are you, Kagome.” He whispered. Kagome smiled and lay down with Tony and Loki, sighing happily at the warmth and comfort she felt. She drifted off with a smile.   
Tony, once he was sure Kagome was fast asleep, opened his eyes, the beginnings of a sly smile on his face.

“Jarvis. What have you been up to?” 

“I’ll never tell, sir.” His AI replied, surprising him with the fondness and protectiveness in his voice. “It’s up to Kagome.” Tony chuckled quietly, the sound little more than a mild rumbling. 

“And what is she that you are as well?” Jarvis paused, silent for a long moment. 

“Amazing.” He whispered. Tony smiled, closing his eyes again, shifting closer to his two bed-mates. 

“Can’t argue with that.”  
  



	14. Nice to Meet You

They were eating breakfast when Jarvis announced that Steve Rodgers was in the lobby, waiting by the private elevator.

“Let him up, J.” Tony glanced to Kagome, who was contentedly eating a piece of toast next to Loki. “Kagome, do you want to be around for this?” Kagome’s chewing slowed down as she thought and, as she swallowed, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. Loki grinned as he noticed it, knowing that she was going to give the Avengers a shock.

“No,” She said lowly. “I’ll… introduce myself later, I think.” Then she stood and wandered away to their bedroom. Loki watched her go and then looked at Tony, who was grinning helplessly.

“When are you going to tell her?” The grin no longer reached Tony’s eyes, but Loki knew that the question had to be asked.

“I don’t know - she’s been through so much and I don’t want to lose what we have already.” Loki scrutinised the inventor.

“You know that I’m also interested, don’t you?” Tony shrugged and walked forward, leaning over the table with his elbows on it.

“It didn’t escape my notice.” He sighed when Loki gave him a frustrated look. “I knew when I asked you to help me that it was a possibility - and I think the fact that I asked you should give you permission, shouldn’t it?” He smirked and winked at the God, who now looked mildly amused. “Besides, it’s not as if we don’t know each other well already.” Loki chuckled and nodded, just as the elevator gave a little ding and the doors opened, revealing Steve with a duffle bag, wearing a white shirt, brown leather jacket, and jeans and trainers. “Rodgers. Welcome to my Tower.” He said, cordially enough, though there was hidden tension in his posture, if not his voice. Steve seemed oblivious though, and smiled at Tony and Loki.

“Mr. Stark, thank you for having me.” He reached out with one hand for a handshake and nodded to Loki. “And it’s nice to see you not causing a war.” Loki smiled a little and nodded.

“Captain.” Tony stared at the outstretched hand in curiosity. Why would he take the hand? Steve had said some pretty harsh things in the Helicarrier, and though Tony had fought back, there was only one place the Captain was weakest, whereas he’d managed to hit several chinks in Tony’s armour. Another moment passed before Steve awkwardly lowered the hand and Loki had to look away before the soldier saw his smile.

“Let’s just get you to your room, eh?” Tony asked, and walked back to the elevator. Steve frowned, but followed. Tony gave a cheery wave to Loki as the doors closed, but Loki noticed the way the inventor was strained, and waved back, an utterly fake smile on his lips.

When they were gone, Loki got up and made his way to the bedroom, opening the door to find Kagome on the bed with a StarkPad, touching the screen with a kind of confidence that she hadn’t had a week ago. He and Tony had been trying to slowly integrate her to the modern world, and she was a quick learner - there were still things like pop culture she wasn’t picking up so fast, but the technology was something she was fine with. When she noticed he was in the room, she looked up and smiled at him, putting the StarkPad aside.

“Hey, Loki.” Loki smiled.

“Hello. Can I speak to you for a minute?” Kagome gestured next to her on the bed.

“Feel free.” Loki sat on the bed, facing her, and looked her in the eyes. She seemed surprised by his seriousness and business attitude, but kept the eye contact and adjusted her demeanour to suit his.

“Kagome, are you settling well here?” Kagome seemed confused as to what he was trying to get at, but nodded. “Are you happy with me and Tony?” Kagome frowned but nodded. “How do you feel with us?” He asked tentatively, and almost smiled at how quickly her gaze turned introspective.

“I feel…” She sighed, frustrated at how hard it was to describe. “Safe, I guess. And warm.” She smiled softly. “It’s easy to forget around you two, and I feel like I can be myself. I feel affectionate towards you both, and I feel free to give and receive comfort.” Then she frowned. “But I’m concerned as well - about Tony’s lifespan.” She paused, debating with herself while Loki looked on curiously. “I can - I mean my reiki - _I_ have enough power to heal him completely and stop his aging.” She finally said, determination lacing her tone. Ignoring the contents of the sentence for now, Loki grinned.

“How long were you waiting to say that?” He asked, amused. Kagome sighed in slightly tense relief.

“Over two weeks.” She said, a small smile on her face. Then she was serious again. “But Loki, I don’t know how to ask if he would - because I wouldn’t _dare_ do it without his permission - and is it even a good idea? I mean, look at me. I’ve spent the good part of five hundred years alone or in pain or both, and I’m slowly loosing my sanity.” She paused for a moment. “Or I was. But the point still stands.” Loki was silent for a few minutes as he thought. On the one hand, Kagome was right - it could be a potentially damaging thing to Tony’s psyche. On the other, Tony wanted to be with Kagome and him, and Kagome wanted to stay with Tony and Loki - he assumed -, and Loki himself wanted to stay with the two of them. And maybe after he’d served out his sentence, he’ll bring Tony and Kagome with him to Asgard - at least, for a little while.

“I think that it would be nice,” Loki started slowly. “If I could be with Tony for longer, and you obviously want him around longer.” He smiled. “Which does bring me on to my next question.” He met her eyes again. “I desire you in a larger capacity than a friend.” Kagome’s eyes widened.

“You… desire me… as a mate?” Loki shrugged.

“If that’s what you want to call it. I’ve got a thing against marriage - but that’s due to a bad past experience - but I would like you as my lover.” Kagome’s eyes sparkled happily, but then she frowned.

“What about Tony? I thought you two were lovers.” Loki grinned wickedly.

“We are. But Tony desires you as well and we have discussed the issue.” He shrugged. “He’s just worried that it’ll ruin what you two have already. But you have a quick mind and a fair heart - I’m fairly certain that it wouldn’t make a difference at all, which is why I’ve asked.” He paused for a moment. “I wasn’t going to ask you for him, but it seems I have.” He smiled crookedly, looking a little confused. Kagome laughed and, as it died down, she blushed lightly.

“So…” She started uncertainly. “You both want… me… as your lover.” She seemed a little dazed by the prospect, then looked incredibly scared. “But I don’t - I haven’t ever had -” Loki smiled gently and rested a hand on hers, quietening her. He knew what she meant.

“Kagome, we’re not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do or feel comfortable with.” Kagome felt a tear slide down her cheek and gave a watery smile. Loki brushed the tear away and shifted so he was next to her. “So, what were you doing earlier?” She smiled brightly at him and picked up the StarkPad again, grateful for the reprieve and happy for the distraction.

Tony sighed. It seemed that after Steve had come, the rest of them came one by one. They were all astounded by the fact that they had individual floors, and at first protested against such generosity, unused to it - well, with the exception of Natasha, who looked around and then nodded with a small smile, and Thor, who was obviously used to extravagance and was immensely pleased with his floor, and had loudly told him so. Clint’s introduction was the funniest, Tony thought. Clint had looked around, nodded, protested a little and then looked again.

“What are the air vents like?” Tony had known what he’d meant, and couldn’t help but laugh.

“They’re big enough for you to get into and are all through the building - I’ll make sure they’re clean, shall I?” Clint had grinned.

“That’d be great, thanks.” Tony’s mouth twisted, trying to hold back more laughter as he clapped Clint on the back and went back to the elevator, leaving the archer to inspect his floor.

But now, all of the Avengers were in the Tower, and it was only two o’clock - quite the success, if Tony did say so himself. He stepped out into the penthouse and looked for his lover and guest, both of whom were no where to be seen in the living area. His brow furrowing, he made his way to the bedroom and opened the door, only to freeze at the sight before him. First he was shocked, then confused, then a surprising warmth went through him.

Loki was laying on the bed, Kagome in his arms, both fast asleep. They were both fully clothed in daytime clothes and had smiles on their faces. He chuckled at the sight, which woke Kagome up, as he shut the door.

Kagome blinked blearily up at him. “Tony?” Her voice was thick with sleep and his smile turned less amused and more affectionate.

“Now, why am I missing out on all the action?” Kagome blinked up at him, mind still not awake, and didn’t blush as she usually would have at the comment - especially knowing what she knows now, but sleep seemed to have taken away her ability to be embarrassed.

“Get down here.” She commanded sleepily, motioning to the space next to her. He smirked and lay down, his mind fully taking in exactly how sleepy he was - he was awake very early today, and this felt so comfortable… “And I wouldn’t mind, you know.” She murmured to him, and his eyes shot up to meet hers so he could find out what she meant, only to find she’d already fallen back to sleep. Damn. Mind what?

  
  


Tony and Loki woke up three hours later to find that Kagome was already gone, so they got up to find her. To their surprise, she wasn’t anywhere in the penthouse and when they asked Jarvis they found out she wasn’t in the lab, either. The AI sounded suspiciously amused, but they both knew that Jarvis wouldn’t tell them anything other than where she _wasn’t_ and they were too lazy to go through all the floors of the Tower. Figuring that Kagome would turn up sooner or later, they decided to go down to Avengers’ shared floor - which had a kitchen and several sofas, as well as a large screen TV and cupboard with game consoles in it.

They got some sandwiches and sat down on the sofa, turning on the TV and putting it on Countdown - something the two of them had gotten into recently - Tony liked to make up ridiculous words, and Loki like to play the game properly. Tony was sure that either their shouting and laughter was so loud it went through the floors or all the Avengers were telepathic, because they all came to the shared floor one by one. Tony and Loki ignored their increasing audience as they continued to say and/or shout words. Soon, the Avengers were all sitting on the sofas watching the two men more than the TV.

Unfortunately, the program finished and there was a little bit of conflict over what they would watch next. They eventually decided on Deadliest Catch, because what better thing to watch at half five in the afternoon?

It was about half way through this, that Kagome came out of elevator silently, courtesy of Jarvis. She walked silently through the room and plopped herself between Tony and Loki before stretching herself out so she had her head in Tony’s lap and her feet in Loki’s lap. Loki rubbed a little on her ankles in greeting, while Tony began to card his fingers through her hair. He looked down at her smiling - slyly, he thought - face and smiled himself, ignoring the other Avengers as they stared in curiosity and shock - though in some cases, suspicion as well.

“Well hello.” He said warmly. “Where were you hiding?” Kagome smiled even wider and stretched languidly, letting out a little purr - that sounded actually authentic, to the shock of the Avengers and to the expectation of Loki and Tony - as Tony began to scratch at her scalp before running his fingers through her hair.

“Mmm. Nowhere in particular.” Mischievous eyes now watched Tony and he recognised what she meant and narrowed his eyes playfully.

“You didn’t.” He said, mock-frowning. Kagome snickered.

“I only explored a little bit.” Loki squeezed her ankle.

“You weren’t in the lab, or the penthouse - and you never go anywhere else.” He pointed out. Kagome grinned at him.

“Yes.” She agreed. “But that’s when you are awake.” Tony rose an eyebrow.

“We do ask Jarvis where you go - he doesn’t lie.” Kagome ginned even wider, with a smug edge to it. “Kagome.” Tony said warningly. “Have you been corrupting my AI?”

“I assure you, sir, that I am fully operational.” Jarvis offered helpfully, amusement in his tone. Tony still eyed Kagome suspiciously.

“I may have convinced him to tell a few untruths on my behalf.” She said impishly after a moment.

“Kagome! You said sir would never know!” Jarvis scolded, sounding scandalised. Tony couldn’t stop himself, felt the giggle rising up in his chest, and wasn’t able stop it in time. Kagome watched with a smile as his mock-serious demeanour dissolved completely. She felt a wave of affection and acted on instinct - rising up a little and kissing his jaw gently. She doubted he’d know the significance, but she knew the meaning, and that was enough. What he didn’t expect was for his laughter to halt immediately as he looked down at her in shock, while Loki looked on in fond amusement. He knew that Kagome was scared, and Tony was bad, really, at emotional things, and Loki himself wasn’t all that good at intimate relationships, but he supposed they’d all awkwardly dance their way through this.

“Tony, who is this?” Bruce asked, breaking the shocked yet tender moment and Tony leapt onto the escape, refusing to think and talk about emotions in front of five other people.

“This is Kagome, a very close friend of mine.” Kagome sat up at Tony’s introduction and smiled, perfectly understanding Tony’s reaction.

“Hello. Nice to meet you all.” She tilted her head and debated how much to tell them. “I am older than all of you put together, judging by how old you look.” At the Avengers’ shocked looks, she couldn’t help but smirk, catching Loki and Tony’s amused looks. She thought for a moment. “Apart from you, Thor. However, I don’t actually know the rest of you.” Steve’s manners apparently caught up with him before his wits.

“Steve Rodgers, ma’am. I’m also Captain America.” Kagome frowned as something was triggered in her memory.

“Captain America… where have I heard that before?” Tony and Loki shared a look behind her, half worried. Then she gasped. “Oh yes, I remember - it was the 1940’s, wasn’t it? Something about a shield and people yielding.” Steve blushed bright red at the reminder of his theme tune. The rest of them sent curious and amused looks to him.

“Clint Barton. Called Hawkeye.” Said the blond-haired man. Kagome frowned.

“Why?” The archer smirked.

“Because I see better from a distance and I never miss. I’m an archer, mainly.” Kagome grinned, seeming slightly feral.

“I challenge you to a match.” A competitive fire ignited in her eyes. “We’ll see who the better archer is.” Clint grinned fiercely.

“You’re on.” Kagome gave a decisive nod and shifted her gaze to the red-haired woman next to him.

“Natasha Romanov, also known as the Black Widow.” Kagome narrowed her eyes, clearly recognising the name and disliking it immensely. Her lips rose in a mild snarl.

“You hurt me and mine in any way, and I will make you _beg_ for death.” She grinned darkly. “And maybe I’ll make you live, crippled though you will be.” Everyone shivered at the dark tone and ruthless look in her eyes. Tony groaned, almost inaudibly, though Kagome heard it and turned to him, still smirking.

“You are…” He trailed off and grunted when Loki elbowed him, looking a little dazed, but pointedly looking at the other Avengers, who were now looking at _Tony_ with shock. “What?” He asked defensively. Steve looked a little disturbed as he replied.

“And you’re okay with her being so… possessive and… violent?” He ended on a question, not really knowing how to describe it in the most polite way. Tony smirked, an expression almost mirrored by Loki.

“Of course.” He said lowly, almost purring. “I think it’s the most sexy thing I’ve ever seen and heard.” Poor Steve looked horrified.

“Why?” Tony gave him the most condescending look Steve had ever been levelled before.

“Because it’s for me.” He paused. “And Loki.” Natasha narrowed her eyes.

“How did you know? She didn’t say anything like that.” Kagome growled lowly, the sound seeming to reverberate around the room. Tony smiled sweetly.

“Considering that her body language is hostile towards you, and protective towards Loki and I, I think it goes without saying.” He said, rolling his eyes and dropped the sweet smile, turning to Bruce with a happy one and resting a hand on Kagome‘s shoulder, making sure she knew he was going to do it. “Hey, Kagome, this is Bruce Banner - you know, the scientist I told you about.” Kagome tensed a little and Tony abruptly remembered that scientists weren’t exactly on her ‘be-kind-to-immediately’ list. But she smiled tensely and nodded to him. “He’s the one that turns into an enormous green rage monster when he loses control.” Bruce smiled nervously and Kagome relaxed, expression turning curious. Bruce frowned in confusion - she wasn’t comfortable with scientists, but calmed down at the mention of the Other Guy? What the hell happened in her past? Clint spoke up then.

“What did you mean when you said that you were older than all of us put together, apart from Thor?” Kagome rose one eyebrow.

“I am over five hundred years old.” Several eyebrows rose then. “How old is it again?” She asked, turning to Tony.

“Five hundred and thirty, at least, by my estimate.” Kagome sent a side look to Natasha.

“That’s how I know about you, spider. You are, what, a hundred or so?” Natasha looked unruffled by the insult and nodded in agreement.

“Around there.” She paused. “I swear, I will never knowingly hurt you and yours, for as long as I live.” Kagome smiled sharply, satisfied.

“Let’s make that binding, shall we?” She murmured, unconcerned now about letting her reiki manifest in her eyes and around her form as it curled it’s way around the assassin and touched her soul, making the woman gasp, before letting the power fade away again, as she knew that Loki and Tony would protect her, keep her safe from harm - not that she was unable to protect herself. It was just that legalities weren’t something she had access to nor understood. The other Avengers were up with the exception of Thor and Natasha - who was too stunned to do anything.

“What the hell did you just do?” Clint demanded. Kagome looked up at him, face blank.

“I merely made sure that the oath was binding. It will alert me to whether or not she knows what she is doing if she hurts - in any way - me and mine.” She shrugged. “Nothing to worry about.” She took in their looks of suspicion as they sat down slowly and rolled her eyes. “And I’m a miko - or I used to be, not sure now.” She added thoughtfully. “My original God abandoned me, so I guess not.” Thor and Loki gasped and looked horrified.

“What? When did this happen?” Thor cried. Kagome shrugged stiffly, trying to play it off.

“When I was about eighty. I became… too powerful, I guess, even though She gave me the power, the potential to be stronger.” She laughed bitterly. “Hasn’t even looked my way since. I was Her High Priestess at one point.” Her eyes were dark with memories that she quickly shook off. Thor and Loki still looked horrified, but seemed to accept it, for now. The rest of the Avengers all univocally decided to get to know Kagome better, and maybe be her friends.

Natasha was admittedly impressed with this woman and her straightforward way of handling threats, regardless of any other problems that may occur. Clint wanted to know her as well, and was especially curious of the archery challenge he’d been issued. Bruce was curious about her mood changes and how she was more at ease with the Other Guy than with the fact that he was a scientist. Steve just liked to think the best of people and Thor felt a certain type of worry for this priestess who’d been cast out - and she seemed like she was willing to have a lot of fun, despite what she’d lived through, which reminded him of Loki, oddly enough.

Kagome, meanwhile, secretly regarded them all with caution and suspicion until they proved that they wouldn’t harm her or hers - with Natasha being the only one she trusted at the moment, due to the oath, and therefore the only one she was willing at the moment to be friends with. Though Clint seemed especially fun, so she might make an exception for him.

  
  



	15. We Didn't Know

Soon after the meeting - a few days later - everything went just a _teensy bit_ wrong.

The Avengers slowly got used to Kagome appearing at random times of the day and lounging across Tony and Loki, and was often seen talking with them and walking around with them. Sometimes they noticed the two men looking just a little bit confused. And they were, a little. Kagome didn’t usually spend so much time with them, touching and talking and walking. But Kagome was thinking something a little different.

_Mine._

Jarvis found her behaviour both amusing and touching - he, of course, had the entire internet to his disposal to research her actions and found that they tallied with typical behaviour of wild packs of dogs or wolves, and even domestic cats. Natasha Romanov recognised it for what it was, and steered clear of the two men, preferring to talk to Kagome and the rest of the Avengers. Clint also seemed to recognise it subconsciously and never went near Tony and Loki’s personal space. But he and Kagome did arrange a date for the ‘challenge’. And that was today.

Clint walked into the archery range confidently, his bow in his hand. He didn’t bother wearing his SHIELD uniform - just a short-sleeved t-shirt would do and a pair of trousers. He was already wearing his arm and finger guards, and was completely focussed. He noticed as he walked in that the rest of the Avengers were in the little waiting/observer area to watch, and Kagome was also there, holding a longbow. Clint snorted.

“Why a longbow?” Kagome smiled sweetly, somehow coming across as dangerous.

“It’s the one I learnt with, and I find it has more power so I can put an arrow through something’s head without trouble.” She said chirpily. Silence reigned for a moment before Loki snickered, quickly joined by Tony and Clint. Natasha smiled a little, Bruce smiled in that exasperatedly fond way he often smiled when around Tony, and Steve looked disapproving.

“Remind me not to get on your bad side.” Clint managed after a moment. Kagome nodded slowly and then gestured to the range, targets already set up. Clint stepped up to the line, put one foot on it and prepared his first arrow as Kagome did the same. She sent him a grin when he glanced back at her.

“Ten arrows consistently in the centre. Ten points per arrow and five deducted for each time you don’t hit dead centre. Ready?” She asked, not needing to say that the one with the most points wins. Clint nodded, focussing his gaze on the target. Kagome smiled. “Go.” She breathed as she smoothly drew the string back to her cheek, lining up the arrow quickly before firing and didn’t look to see where it hit before drawing another and firing. When she saw that she had five arrows left and Clint had the same, she called out, “Halt.” Clint turned to her in confusion, and she felt the Avengers’ gazes on her back.

“Why?” Clint asked. She grinned.

“Tony, hit the button.” She didn’t turn to watch, but Clint, Loki and the rest of the Avengers did. At the end of the waiting area, furthest away from the door, there was a panel of the wall that lifted up - though by nothing so fancy as electronics, you just had to lift it -, revealing a silver button. It was this button that Tony pressed and seemed to set off the targets, so there wasn’t just one singular target to hit, but six as they began to move from one end of the room to the other. Kagome grinned, glad she had asked Jarvis to add a little twist into the targets. “Now, we hit moving targets.” Clint scoffed.

“That easy - I do that for a job.” But Kagome’s grin didn’t wane in any way - if anything, it just got bigger.

“Every time the system feels that two arrows have hit the targets, it speeds up.” She continued as if she hadn’t heard the archer’s comment. She sent a sidelong look to him. “Basically, every time we’ve both hit the targets once, the speed they go at is quicker.”

“Oh yeah. I can get behind this.” He said, muted delight in his voice.

“Ready? Go.” She said again. And she once again drew the string back, followed one of the targets with her arrow, and fired. The targets sped up after Clint did the same, and she repeated. On her last arrow, her tenth arrow - and Clint’s, she heard him sigh, frustrated.

“It’s too fast.” He muttered under his breath. She grinned as she lined up her final arrow - far too used to high-speed objects - and fired. She waited for Clint to do the same, hearing him grumble for a few more seconds before swearing and shooting anyway. The slowing down of the targets showed that he’d hit it, so when they’d stopped completely Kagome put her bow down and walked forward so she could see who’d hit the targets and where.

Clint had gotten all but one of them in the centre - the tenth arrow being in the upper right of the target. When he saw it, he shrugged - he still had ninety-five points. Kagome’s had all hit the centre - one arrow even splitting down the middle of another. Kagome smiled softly as Clint seemed to double take between her arrows and her.

“I win.” She whispered, but the practice and the win seemed to have seeped out some of the happiness and competitiveness her eyes were displaying before. Now, they were darker, with an old pain that concerned Clint. He frowned, not even pretending to be upset. The Avengers were all congratulating her loudly - especially in Thor’s case -, but she didn’t seem to care. If anything, it seemed to down her mood quite rapidly. Apart from Clint, Loki seemed to be one of the first to notice and though he wasn’t even looking at her, Tony quickly followed - something that Clint was curious about.

Kagome began to exit the room, a weak smile on her lips for Thor, Steve and Natasha. Tony and Loki shared a look, but didn’t make a move to stop her, knowing that if she wanted company, she would’ve asked for it, either verbally or non-verbally. The group had begun to talk among themselves, but Steve had noticed her leaving. He walked up to her from behind and Clint was about to call out to him, and Tony and Loki had started to walk toward them to stop Steve with a kind of urgency that Clint vaguely recognised.

“Hey, well done, Kagome.” Steve started as he reached out and grasped her upper arm to stop her from walking.

“Cap, no -” Tony called out, but Kagome had already reacted. She stiffened, knocked his arm away and kicked him in the stomach, making his back away from her fully. For all he was super soldier, he wasn’t quick enough to defend himself and found that the kick actually _hurt._ Kagome had spun around to face him when she kicked him and he, along with everyone else in the room saw why she was so suddenly violent. She was having a flashback. She kept herself in a defensive stance, but her eyes were wide and dark, darting around and seeing things that weren’t there in the physical world, even as she stayed stock still. “Shit.” Tony cursed and looked at Loki quickly. “I knew we should have told them.” Loki didn’t reply, his eyes narrowing on Kagome, noticing how she’d take sniffs of the air now and again, and then resettle herself in her defensive stance.

“Sit down.” He barked at the Avengers. They all looked surprised, but conceded that they didn’t have a clue about what to do in this situation and sat down slowly. Tony glanced back at them and sighed, shifting his gaze back to Kagome, feeling helpless. This was the first time it’d happened in public - and the first time it’s been out of the bedroom, as the flashbacks were far more common after she’d had a nightmare and she’d already told he and Loki what not to do to trigger a flashback, but the Avengers hadn’t had such a talk.

“I - I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Steve stammered, looking so guilty he looked like an injured puppy. “I never suspected - she never -” Tony rolled his eyes, fed up already.

“Shut up, Rodgers. Your babbling isn’t what we need at the moment.” He snapped in an unforgiving manner, not bothering trying to sound calming. They didn’t know how Kagome would react to them now, with all these other scents in the room, and that was a bigger issue than Steve’s guilt. He walked forward slowly, pausing after each step as her metaphorical hackles rose each time her got closer, but she kept on sniffing the air, so even though she was threatening someone, it wasn’t necessarily aimed at him or Loki. He paused when he was about two feet away from her and waited for her to make her move. She inhaled once, something of her rational self coming through as she recognised first Tony’s scent, and then his aura. She reached out and grabbed his wrist, dragging him to her. He didn’t do anything to stop her, even as there were mild protesting and worried sounds from Steve and Thor.

Kagome buried her face in his neck, inhaling deeply as her eyes stayed open and locked onto the sitting Avengers. She noticed Loki’s aura hanging around nearby and glanced towards him, making a ‘come-here’ motion with her hand. He smiled, his aura at peace and calming her own, and made his way to her. He took her hand and came to stand slightly behind her. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping an arm around Tony’s waist, as she closed her eyes and finally relaxed. She snorted, half amused and half self-depreciating.

“Well, that was hell.” She rasped. She didn’t really want to open her eyes. She knew the Avengers were all there, most likely judging her or something - or even worse, pitying her - and didn’t really want to face it. Tony hummed.

“What was it about this time?” Loki asked quietly, even though he knew that the others could hear him. Kagome smirked and opened her eyes, keeping their gaze fixed on the ceiling.

“It was about the time I got mobbed by over a dozen people in the late sixteenth century.” She began, just as quietly and just as aware as Loki of the five other people in the room. “They were a superstitious bunch at that time, especially in Germany, and they didn’t like the fact that I could heal people with the right herbs - called me a witch and threatened me with the stake. It was only a little village of about twenty to thirty humans and for the recent twenty years, no child had been born there, so everyone was over twenty. They’d noticed about two years before the incident that I’d been there for a decade and hadn’t aged in a noticeable way. They blamed me for the amount of miscarriages and the fact that no one could have a child, as well as my amazing - for that time period - ability to heal people.” She frowned, her demeanour turning darker. “They worked up the courage to confront me, but they were so violent and pushed me to the edge, so I killed them all.” A dark smirk crossed her lips, contradicting her relaxed body language and she leaned against Loki. The arm that was around Tony’s waist uncurled and rose, two of her fingers caressed Tony’s cheek. He and Loki were both staring at her with almost morbid fascination and Tony’s eyes closed at the touch. “The fools,” She hissed sibilantly. “They just kept on coming, and I just kept on killing them.” She took on a mockingly mournful look. “Poor idiotic humans, they were never very smart. They court their own death for more than half their lives.” Loki snorted in amusement. Tony smirked, but then his eyes opened.

“Hey! I’m human!” He said indignantly. Loki and Kagome sniggered.

“Well, would you look at that.” Kagome said, smirking. “And you courted death for more than half your life.” She paused, looking mock-thoughtful. “And you still do, don’t you?” Tony smirked, bending his head toward her with his eyes half-lidded, but there was still something hidden there and this time Loki wasn’t the only one to notice it.

“I do indeed.” She actually looked somewhat stunned at that, the dark hints of malice startled out of her, and she smiled warmly with a few hint of confusion as she glanced at Loki, his own look to her conveying all she needed to know - she hadn’t imagined what she saw. That reminded her, she still needed to tell him about the whole ‘I-can-make-you-immortal’ thing. She turned to the rest of the Avengers.

“Sorry about that,” She said sheepishly, pulling away from Loki and Tony, and gesturing that they could stand up again. “Looks like we have some things to talk about.” Clint grinned.

“I’ll say.” Then he sobered. “We had no idea that you had PTSD.” He chuckled bitterly. “Though we probably should have guessed - you’ve lived for over five hundred years, for goodness’ sake.” Kagome cocked her head.

“What’s PTSD?” Clint frowned.

“How can you not know what it is? I mean, when people didn’t know the exact symptoms and what caused it - apart from war - they used to call it shell shock.” Something in her expression cleared.

“Oh, I remember that. That came into play about 1916, didn’t it?” Clint shrugged.

“I haven’t got a clue, but we call it PTSD now - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” He gestured to her. “Flashback and nightmares are common symptoms.” Kagome smiled wryly.

“Well, I’ve got no shortage of those.” She scoffed. She eyed them all carefully, and they are made abruptly that she in no way trusted them - just because she was around them and spent time with them did not mean that she trusted - or even liked - them. “I’ll tell you my triggers. Aside from that,” She added coldly, expression stoic. “Stay away from me for a couple of days, or you may not be well received.” She said, before nodding to Clint. “Thank you for today, it’s been a while since I was truly challenged in my archery skills.” Clint smiled at her.

“No problem, it was great for me too.” He shook his head a little. “Just goes to show that there will always be someone greater than you.” Kagome nodded slightly.

“Wise words indeed.” She remarked and then walked out of the room, Tony and Loki trailing close behind, linked to her by their hands.

 


	16. Well, Hello There

Things had gone over well, Kagome supposed, when she had told them about the rather large amount of triggers she had. They’d mostly had the same reactions as Tony and Loki had when she told them, so she supposed that it was a win for her. They didn’t treat her like glass, either, knew she wasn’t weak - they just avoided the things she told them about with surprising subtlety. But she hadn’t had any more flashbacks at all since then, but a month had passed, so it was rather impressive - before her capture she used to get them every few days and the nightmares would be every time she bothered to sleep. She still doesn’t sleep every night - old habits die hard - but the nightmares were lessening and she had Tony and Loki to comfort her afterwards, sometimes even bringing her out of them or calming them down.

She shrugged, keeping her mindset at a kind of casual, happy-go-lucky state, perhaps with a bit more darkness than she used to have in that particular mindset than her days as part of the Inutachi. She fiddled with a few of Tony’s creations as she wandered around the lab. She liked the cars especially, liked how far humankind had come, to create such technology - _or maybe_ , she thought with amusement, _just how far Tony Stark has come, ahead of other humans_.

“Ah, Kagome.” Jarvis called quietly. Immediately finding fault with the tone, not one he usually takes with her, Kagome’s attention honed in on him.

“What’s wrong?” She asked quietly.

“I’m afraid my protocols involving the ammunition in the tower have been overridden, and the Avengers and Loki have been given a paralytic via the take-out they have ordered. They are all sitting at the kitchen table on the shared floor.” As he spoke, Jarvis brought up camera footage of the scene. Just as he said, the six of them were sitting at the table, seemingly frozen, not even their mouths moving. They were breathing though, and they blinked every now and again.

“How many?” Kagome asked shortly. Jarvis didn’t need her to elaborate.

“Three. Two in the lower levels, who are now being dealt with by security, and a third nearly with Sir and the others.” Kagome nodded, eyes narrowed, and she walked to the doors of the elevator, putting a glamour over her eyes as she went so she had brown eyes instead of the blue she’d had since she was made immortal by the sheer amount of power the Shikon no Tama had pumped into her when she had ‘destroyed’ it. No one realised that power like that couldn’t just be destroyed - the energy just went somewhere else - so it went to the one who’d destroyed the trinket it was in before.

She summoned a clipboard with some kind of work on it from a random desk in the building - she’d return it later - and a change of clothes. She was now wearing a pair or high heels, a knee-length black skirt, a white blouse and a black jacket. “The shared floor, please, Jarvis.” She requested, her face a blank mask. The elevator started to go up.

“Are you sure?” Kagome smiled faux-sweetly.

“They plan to hurt what’s mine - I’m going to kill them.” She said casually. Enough of their bond had been left open that she knew Jarvis could feel what she was feeling, and she, in return, could feel his amusement and approval, deep underneath the worry for both her and his creator. He didn’t say anything else, and she prepared herself for her role.

  
  


They all knew the moment they were paralysed, as some of them closed their eyes and sighed. Tony was angry, yes, but more concerned. This wasn’t random and there were bound to be a team of people who were coming to kill them all. Jarvis hadn’t said anything yet - and he didn’t really want to think about the possibilities of that, it would just make him really, very, extremely angry - and Kagome was down in the lab, which was where she spent a lot of her time when she wasn’t with the Avengers or following Loki and/or him. They just kind of had to… _sit_ here. Waiting.

Waiting seemed to pay off, about twenty minutes later. A man in a nicely cut suit came into the room from the direction of the stairs. Smart man, he must know about Jarvis and the fact that he controls pretty much everything in this Tower. The man smiled at the sight of the six powerless people.

“Hello, Mr. Stark. You won’t know me, but you may know my employer very well, I think.” He said cheerfully, as if they didn’t all know about the gun in his belt. “He sends his regards, and is glad that you will finally be out of his way.” The elevator dinged then, and everyone looked at the elevator, even though it is slightly hidden from the kitchen, wondering who is going to come through the doors. The fact the elevator is working is enough to put the Tony at least a little bit at ease - they hadn’t killed Jarvis. A black-haired woman in a jacket and skirt walk out the elevator, looking down at a clipboard and not noticing the man.

“Mr. Stark,” The woman began as she walked, and Tony suddenly recognised her. “These _need_ to be signed or -” Kagome looked up, showing brown eyes instead of her usual blue, as if she suddenly realised that there may be others in the room. She takes in the suited man in shock, seemingly not noticing that Tony is in the room. A sultry smile crosses her lips. “Well, hello there. Have you come to see Mr. Stark?” A smirk crossed the man’s lips as he unconsciously straightened his shoulders.

“Yes, and may I have your name?” He asked. Kagome nodded.

“Of course, how impolite of me.” She said apologetically. “My name is Kagome Higurashi, I’m Mr. Stark’s assistant.” She walked closer, pushing at the man’s personal space. “And you are?” She smiled coyly.

“Ryan. Ryan Goldsmith.” She smirked inwardly as he didn’t protest the breach of personal space, and he held out his hand for a handshake. The palm of his hand was slightly tilted to the ground in a way that would allow him to dominate the handshake. She smiled at him as she took his hand, forcing it to face the window and for the handshake to be equal. She held it for slightly longer than necessary, and when she pulled away, her fingers lingered, brushing against his palm and fingers. The man’s eyes clouded a bit, the lids lowering slightly, and she smiled with victory because, as she had drawn away, her other hand had been busy taking away the gun from his belt and hide it in her jacket at the base of her spine.

Turning her face away slightly, giving the impression of shyness, she asked, “Would you like something to drink? If you would like to wait, I could get you something…” She started to turn to the kitchen, and he touched her forearm gently to get her attention. She turned back to his, but raised her arm and backhanded him across the face. While he was reeling from the blow, Kagome smirked darkly but quickly hid it behind an innocent smile. “I’m sorry, did you want something?” She asked sweetly. He turned back to her, surprise in his face. Her face darkened and she let her blue eyes come out from behind her glamour. His hands fumbled as they went to the place the gun should have been and came up empty. She whipped out the gun and aimed it at him, the safety clicking off loud in the suddenly silent room. They rose in the universal sign of ‘I’m-unarmed-don’t-hurt-me-I-surrender’.

“How… how the fuck…” He couldn’t seem to finish the sentence and Kagome laughed, loudly and maliciously. The man flinched.

“I’m a woman.” She growled. “Since when do people like you consider women a threat? Did you really think I hadn’t noticed the fact that Tony is in the kitchen and hasn’t moved this whole time?” She asked scathingly. He didn’t say anything, and gave a loud cry as Kagome shot his right hand. She sighed again, mock-regretful. “Your biggest mistake, however, wasn’t underestimating me.” She said, conversationally, shooting his left hand. Then she lowered her voice to a sibilant whisper that echoed through the room. “You fucked with what’s mine, and you will suffer for it.” She then shot his right foot and narrowed her eyes angrily as the man began to whimper and try to get away from her. “Don’t you dare try to leave.” She boomed, voice powerful with authority. The man flinched and stopped instinctively, only to fall as Kagome shot his other foot and he couldn’t bear to have any pressure on them. Kagome walked forward, grinning sinisterly, aiming the gun again. “Who do you work for?” She demanded. The man smirked through the pain.

“Like I’ll ever tell you.” He spat, a spark of defiance in his eyes at last. Kagome laughed in dark delight.

“Oh, goodie.” She said with relish. “I love it when I get the chance to have a bit of fun. The last time I got to do that was over a hundred years ago.” She said thoughtfully. She looked him over. “Seeing as you’re not going anywhere…” She narrowed her eyes. “Jarvis, give me a nice empty room where I can conduct my business in peace and without anyone seeing.” _Where Loki and Tony won’t see it,_ went unsaid. When Jarvis replied it was with wicked vindictiveness.

“There is a basement that has not been used underneath the lab, Kagome. I would be pleased to direct you to it.” Kagome grinned darkly, watching as the man winced at the sight of it.

“Well then,” She said. “We have plenty of time to get the information I want from you, don’t we?” She asked him rhetorically. The man watched her for another moment with horrified eyes before putting up one last defence.

“Does Tony Stark know you’re like this?” He asked, trying through the pain to smile victoriously. “Even if he didn’t, he can see it all now and he’ll be disgusted with what he sees.” Kagome stopped for a moment, a sudden vulnerability that wasn’t there before appeared in her body language, even if it didn’t in her face and eyes, which remained still and watchful. The man laughed. “Tony Stark is so unaware of his own employees -” Kagome had had enough. She walked behind him casually and then gripped his hair harshly, slapping another hand over his mouth, her nails digging in cruelly. The gun seemed the hover in the air around them, a slight purple-ish shimmer surrounding it.

“You,” She hissed. “Don’t even deserve to _think_ his name, let alone speak it. I’m not his employee, nor his friend.” She wrenched his head back, taking her hand away from his mouth, and looked down at him, eyes ablaze with power and her face indifferent. “I am his protector for as long as he lives, whether he banishes me from his side or not. Eternal as I am, I have learnt quite a few tricks.” Her lips spread in a lazy smile, threatening him with the display of her teeth. The man, getting some bravado from… God knows where, smiled slickly.

“That doesn’t change the fact that you know he’ll be disgusted by you.” Kagome snarled, a rage burning deep in her eyes.

“Forget the information.” She said, letting go of his hair with a hard tug. “I can find out another way.” She frowned, looking genuinely disappointed. “Looks like I won’t be practising my wide set of skills.” She said mournfully. Then the rage came back, her whole body tensing with restraint. “But you,” She said vehemently. “Will still pay for your actions.” Her hand rose, the gun fell into it, and she aimed carefully, before smirking. “It seems that it’ll be your soul that suffers for this, not your consciousness, but,” She shrugged. “Never mind. Suffering is suffering, no matter the form it’s in.” Then she shot him between the eyes and watched with satisfaction as the now-dead-man slumped to the carpet, which was slowly turning red around the body. “Sorry, Jarvis. No show today.” She muttered.

“Don’t worry, Kagome. I understand completely.” Kagome watched, with reiki-enhanced eyes as his soul began to leave his body. As it did, she pushed some of her reiki into her hands, catching the soul in her hands.

Carefully, she inspected it, moving it so she could see it all. Then, she spotted what she wanted to see and a sadistic smile crossed her faced, but it was quickly replaced with cool boredom, slightly ruined by the dark enjoyment in her eyes. She took one of her hands off the soul and wiggled her fingers before entering the soul with two of them. Immediately, she heard a special kind of scream, one she rarely had the chance, and the stomach, to hear. She grabbed onto that section she saw earlier, the part of a soul that controlled the reincarnation process, and twisted it harshly, smiling in unholy glee and closing her eyes at the screech the soul emitted before quietening quickly into whimpers. She twisted it once more before letting it go. “And _that_ is why you don’t fuck with me and mine.” She whispered to herself.

Kagome looked at the body and the blood and grimaced. She waved a hand, willing the body to dissipate and the blood to dissolve. She didn’t want it staining the carpet. Then her eyes widened as she realised exactly what she’d done and chuckled bitterly. “No wonder Amaterasu-Sama didn’t want you, Kagome.” She muttered to herself, looking down at her own hands with disgust at what they were capable of. “You’re a horrible creature.” She looked out the window. “What happened to the pure and loving creature you used to be?” She asked helplessly. She was brought out of her reverie by a sound behind her. She ashamed when she turned and kneed the person straight in the gut without checking whose aura it was.

“Jesus.” A chuckled cough came from the person she didn’t, for the moment, recognise and who was now bent double. “Should know better than to come up behind you. You did warn me, after all.” She blinked and saw dark hair, noticed the stature of the person and swore. She knelt next to him and lifted his face.

“Oh, God, Tony. I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t realise it was you!” She said urgently, releasing him. Tony shook his head, still smiling.

“Just kind of glad I’m not unconscious, really.” Trepidation filled Kagome as she looked at the other Avengers and Loki to see they were also free of the paralytic. A kind of panic overtook Kagome’s mind at that precise moment, knowing that they’d seen her - not at her worst, but very nearly there. She grimaced and stood, backing away a little. She refused to show shame though, refuse to feel remorse about what she’d done. She was doing what she’d always done - protecting what was hers. The grimace shifted into a wry smile. She’d never done it front of people before, even the people she protected, except for one time. It hadn’t ended well.

She lifted her chin in slight challenge. “I won’t say sorry.” Her eyes darkened. “He deserved it. He threatened all of you, and now he will suffer for all eternity for it.” Clint and Natasha looked impressed, though Steve looked a mixture of horrified and accepting. In contrast, Thor and even Bruce looked darkly pleased and she momentarily wondered why. Loki settled himself next to Tony, both of their expressions unreadable.

“We heard it, you know.” Kagome frowned and met Loki’s eyes.

“Heard what?” She asked, truly confused. Natasha looked at her carefully before replying for Loki.

“That horrible scream.” Comprehension lit her features, followed by curiosity.

“Which one? There were two.” She wondered. “The second one was louder, and distinctly more horrifying.” She continued with a satisfied smile, her eyes clear of anything so dark as rage, and yet the dark satisfaction was somehow more scary than the burning rage. Natasha’s lips twitched as she very carefully acknowledged that the woman in front of her still didn’t trust them, was very on edge right now, and was extremely powerful. She also had ages of experience - but not without some cost. She’d obviously not had an easy time of being alive for so long, looking so young, so vulnerable, and she had suffered to survive, most likely losing some of her sanity and humanity.

“Probably the second one - it was particularly loud and horrifying.” She returned with a carefully blank expression. Kagome ignored everyone else in the room and focused on the assassin. A warm smile crossed her lips, not even reaching her eyes - they remained guarded and dangerous - and she walked closer to Natasha. Clint moved slightly, ready to defend his friend, but she grabbed his arm gently, restraining him.

“And how did you feel?” Kagome asked lowly, smile still on her face. Natasha met her gaze and refused to look away.

“Scared. Worried. Understanding.” Kagome rose one eyebrow at the honesty, and something in her warmed at the fact that she wouldn’t be lied to by at least one person. She glanced at Clint beside her.

“And you?” Clint shrugged, but didn’t really look at her, focusing his gaze on Natasha, who met his eyes calmly.

“Pretty much the same.” He said casually before looking at Kagome with a seriousness that she rarely saw from him outside of missions. “But you do know that the first sign I see of you hurting any of us, I will do my very best to kill you.” Kagome smiled wider.

“If that comes to pass, I will let you get as close as you can.” She stopped smiling for a moment. “Though it is very likely that, if that seems to be happening, I’m either trying to keep you all safe, or am possessed - or both, so I would suggest you keep a close eye on me.” She smiled sweetly again and folded her arms behind her back, spinning to face Steve, Bruce, Thor, Tony and Loki. She seemed to almost dance forward, her eyes narrowing as she tipped her head back slightly. “But you will take me as I am, or I will disappear, okay?” She was received with nods, but she still noticed that Tony kept his head down and Loki wasn’t looking at her, focussing on Tony. Why hadn’t they looked or spoken to her yet? Then she shot a look to Thor and Bruce. “And why are you two so very pleased?” She asked. They looked at each other for a second and shrugged.

“I am pleased by the ferocity of which you defended us all, Lady Kagome!” He said, something quite dark, yet not, in his eyes. “It is most befitting a warrior!” Kagome smirked.

“Thanks, Thor.” Almost as an afterthought, she added, “Also, can you not call me lady? I had to deal with the whole formality thing for over three hundred years - it bores me now.” Thor nodded with a grin.

Bruce smiled softly. “I’m just glad you’re able to protect yourself just fine without your bow - and that you’re willing to defend us all.” Kagome nodded thoughtfully.

“You do know that it’s only your association with Tony that protected you today, don’t you?” She asked the Avengers, particularly Steve, who frowned. The rest nodded. “I have no obligation -”

“Are you saying that you would turn your back on people who need you?” Steve accused. Kagome snorted.

“Do you _need_ me, Captain America?” She asked scornfully. Steve shook his head slightly.

“I am talking about if innocent people walking down the street were being threatened - you would just walk away?” He demanded. Kagome narrowed her eyes and shifted her stance slightly, noticing peripherally that Tony and Loki had turned to look.

“I would advise you don’t pursue this question.” She warned, her voice soft and low. “You won’t like what you see, and you’ll never be able to unsee it.” Steve frowned.

“Just answer the question, Kagome.” She began to smirk.

“Are you absolutely sure, Steve?” Steve groaned and rose his voice.

“Kagome! Answer me!” Kagome’s expression changed immediately from scornful to dangerous.

“No! I would not.” She hissed at him. “Do you know why, _dear Captain_?” Her body language stayed still, though she seemed to grow as she mocked the national icon. “Because there is no such thing as an _innocent_ person. Every single person on that street will have committed some kind of crime in their lives and even if I did bother to risk myself to save them, what would I get in return?” Kagome’s voice rose in pitch, and though she still addressed Steve, it was clear she wasn’t talk about a bunch of people on a street. “Fear, hatred. I have lived too long to be fooled by such naïve arguments, Steve!” She cried angrily, then quietened, her face blanking out. “When I was younger, when I was about twenty, I had the same view you do - that everyone was good until proven otherwise. What a fool I was. It took too long for me to realise that no one was good for the sake of being good. Anyone who was, was used relentlessly, taken advantage of - raped, murdered - was a victim in every way.” She refocused on the captain then, her eyes haunted and angry. “You are not innocent either, Captain, are you? You have killed and felt hatred, deep in your heart.” She smiled slickly. “‘Take it off, what are you?’ and ‘I know men worth ten of you’.” She mused, relishing in Steve’s flinch at the repeated statements. “Does a man so capable of such hateful words deserve to be a hero – representing honour, strength, and justice?” Her whole countenance darkened suddenly. “Leave before I gut you for your offence to Tony.” Steve frowned.

“Who are you to say things like that? You have no right to speak for Tony like that.” As Kagome’s face lit up in unholy glee, Tony cleared his throat pointedly, only to be ignored, to everyone else’s great amusement.

“Who am I?” She asked amusedly. “Why I am Kagome Higurashi, Shikon no Miko, Destroyer of Naraku, Pack to Sesshoumaru-Sama and Misaki-Sama, Lord and Lady of the West, and am all that is eternal in this world.” She said, voice heavy with power. “I am far superior to you, fragile human. So do not dare to lecture me about goodness.” She narrowed her eyes, which flashed purple for a moment. “Get out.” Almost in a daze, Steve nodded. The others followed suit after a moment of shock, with the exception of Tony and Loki. Both were staring at her with something akin to shock, but not quite. There was also something unreadable there that Kagome didn’t dare look at too closely. She lifted her chin in defiance and waited for them to speak.

After a moment, Tony cleared his throat. “So, that was interesting.” Loki just stared at her. Kagome rose one eyebrow. “I mean, kind of cool with how you defended me - and how did you find out about what Steve said? - and knocked Capsicle down a few notches.” He turned a little more serious and met her gaze properly. “I also didn’t realise how powerful you were. And may I just say, that you are sexy when you’re angry.” Tony smirked and Kagome couldn’t help but smile in return.

“I want you.” Tony and Kagome looked at Loki, shocked, with Tony spluttering slightly.

“Way to blurt it out, Reindeer Games.” The inventor said, a little admiringly. Kagome, however, merely narrowed her eyes. Tony suddenly felt like he was missing something as the tension in the room went up. Loki walked forwards a little, his palms open and visible when Kagome shifted slightly, just enough that she would easily settle into a defensive position is she was attacked.

“Why?” Though the word itself was a question, the way Kagome said it made it sound like a demand.

“You are an amazing woman, powerful and full of strength.” Kagome looked a strange mix between insulted and flattered, and seemed inclined to speak, but Loki continued, his expression as open as he could make it. “But more than that, you are kind and have a strong inclination to protect those you love as much as you can, with all the strength you have. You are also mischievous and playful, more than willing to tease where it will create minimal harm and generate a little chaos where you feel it’s needed. Or even,” Loki’s eyes twinkled with amusement, “Where it would serve as entertainment.” He became a little more solemn then. “You haven’t had it easy, I know, and you were betrayed by the last divinity to offer their patronage and it may take time for you to do so, but I ask that you place your faith in me and trust me.” Tony watched Kagome’s face through Loki’s speech, and though he didn’t understand most of what was said, he watched as she was impassive, and then something seemed to crumble and tears rose in her eyes.

“You would _dare_ ask this of me after all that you know?” Kagome snarled aggressively, though her body language said she was more ready to flee than anything else. Her eyes never left Loki for long and when they did, it was to scan the room for exits, even though she already knew how to get out. Loki smiled a helpless smile.

“Yes.” That stopped her short. “I don’t ask for an answer now and I won’t push you. I only ask that you think about it.” Kagome frowned and straightened, standing normally now, and tucked the proposal in her mind to be looked at later, maybe with Jarvis - he was always a good source of reason.

“And things will continue between us as normal?” Loki nodded, and then they both turned to Tony, who was watching avidly. “Well?” The inventor frowned.

“What? I don’t even know what happened here.” Kagome rose an eyebrow. “Yes, everything is fine, whatever.” His expression turned both pleading and excited. “Explain what just happened!” He demanded playfully with a mock-severe expression. Loki and Kagome exchanged playful looks.

“No.” They said in unison. Tony looked devastated, but focused his attention back to Kagome and smirked lasciviously.

“I meant what I said earlier, Kagome. You are _sexy_ when you’re angry. Or being violent - or doing anything actually.” Kagome blushed a little, rolling her eyes as she did her best to ignore the comment. “And that you were doing it to protect me - us,” Tony whistled lowly and purred, “Alluring as hell, my dear.” Kagome blushed more, and turned her face away.

“I’m going to bed.” She said, almost petulantly. Tony grinned and stood.

“Great.” He said joyously. “Great idea -” His eyes darkened. “We’ll join you.” Kagome laughed as she walked away.

“Come on then.” A wicked grin touched her lips as she beckoned Tony to follow her. Knowing that something amusing was going to happen, Loki waited a moment before following.

When they got to the bedroom, Kagome rummaged around for some scarves and presented them to Tony who leered.

“Didn’t know you were into bondage, Kagome.” Kagome’s lips widened into a grin.

“On the bed.” He did what he was told - there was no way in hell he was going to argue. She attached the scarves to his wrists and legs and tied them to the head board and foot board. He frowned as something occurred to him.

“What about my clothes?” With an evil grin that somehow looked attractive, Kagome summoned a knife. Tony just looked even more excited. “You are the most amazing person I have ever met, you know that, right?” Kagome’s grin lessened into a soft smile.

“Oh, yes, I know.” Just then Loki came in, and laughed at Tony’s predicament. Kagome turned her head to look at him and said, “Oh, good, you’re here. Join us.” Snickering, Loki went to the bed and lay down. Kagome settled herself between the two of them and sighed happily as Tony began to get the idea that he’d had a trick played on him.

“Hey, guys.” He said, laughing nervously. “Hey, you wouldn’t leave me here like this, would you?” Kagome turned over and faced Loki so Tony couldn’t see her trying not to laugh. Loki was the same, though he made no effort to hide the fact that he was amused. “Loki?” Tony was ignored. “Anybody? Help me?” Still smiling, Kagome sat up and leant on his chest.

“Don’t worry, I’ll untie you later after a little nap.” She kissed his cheek and winked, settling herself between him and Loki. Tony didn’t know whether to smile or grimace as he lay there, feeling the tightness in his trousers. Loki sat up, looked him down with an amused look and lay back down, ignoring Tony’s almost desperate look. The inventor sighed.

“Bastards.” He ignored their sniggers.


	17. You Think It's Easy?

It was of course no surprise to Kagome to find that she was either avoided completely or people in the Tower found it awkward to be around her, finding it difficult to make conversation with her. Though, when she says completely avoided, she is giving a pointed mental look to Steve Rodgers. And everyone apart from Tony and Loki found it difficult to converse with her. It, as stated before, doesn’t surprise her, nor does it bother her. They’ll become comfortable in their own time, and she’ll sit there and laugh as they stutter through sentences.

It is important to note, however, that Bruce was probably the only one to not do this and not change in any way, along with Tony and Loki. He has had far too much experience with being careful with his emotions, and weighs each thing he says before he says it so as to avoid a negative reaction and a potential stressful situation. Even though he has a handle on the Hulk, he was still so very aware of what other people were feeling and was very restrained in what he himself felt, for fear that he’d release the ‘Other Guy’. Kagome hoped that he didn’t try so hard with her - it wasn’t as if she’d be offended unless he threatened the safety of Tony and Loki, which she knew he’d never dare. In fact, she found his sense of humour dark and incredibly amusing.

So yes, it did surprise her a little when Thor was the first person to approach her while she was sitting casually at the common floors’ kitchen table sipping on another smoothie. She could eat more filling things now, but she was almost addicted to the multi-content drink she first tasted when she finally was freed from SHIELD’s helicarrier.

On a side note, she was really glad she’d made an impression on Tony, otherwise she may not have been freed from that place, which would have meant she would have to free herself, which would have most likely lead to many deaths and her not being left alone to live out her life in peace. Like she could be bothered to run not only from her past, but also from earthly authorities that probably wouldn’t give up unless she killed them all.

She wondered idly what had happened to Coulson. She hadn’t seen him since… a little while after that night out – she wasn’t sure, seeing as she had spent most of her time drugged and there was nothing to indicate the passing of time. Thor cleared his throat gently.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Lady Kagome, but I must ask if you would speak with me.” Kagome gave him a bright smile.

“Of course, Thor.” She said warmly, jumping down from the table. “Where shall we go? Your room?” Thor looked thoughtful, and then nodded.

“Very well, My Lady.” Kagome sighed in mock-exasperation.

“Thor,” She griped, “I thought we had gotten past this whole ‘lady’ thing!” Thor grinned cheekily in reply, but didn’t say anything, merely accompanied her to his room. Once there, she made her way to sit on his bed, while Thor went to the window, looking out for a moment before turning to face her. Kagome raised an eyebrow at the tense air he gave off, and knew very well that, by standing up, Thor would think that he was more powerful. The sardonic look she got in reply assured her that he knew she was the more powerful, God though she wasn’t, and he wasn’t as stupid as he liked to present, or that others would have everyone believe.

“Lady Kagome, it is my understanding that you were once under the patronage of a God?” Immediately put on guard by the direct approach, yet admiring it, Kagome sat up a bit straighter. She nodded carefully.

“I was, many years ago, yes.” She said lowly. Thor sighed.

“I would ask that you speak of whom you were dedicated to, and possibly why the patronage ended?” He ended in a question, unsure as to his welcome and careful of the sensitivity of the subject. Kagome thought about out rightly objecting to question, but reasoned to herself that Loki was his brother – adopted or otherwise – and that brother did ask that she dedicate herself to him and most likely told his golden-haired brother he was only just getting along with again that he was considering it. It was strange, she thought suddenly, how she felt she was going to get the shovel talk by a God. She wanted to laugh at the thought, but refrained.

She sighed, and began. “I discovered I was a miko when I was fifteen, but I had been working at a shrine dedicated to Amaterasu-Sama long before that, though my worship took a more spiritual edge, so to speak, soon after. I had a quest to complete and a mistake to correct, but afterwards, my patron offered me a place as high-priestess. I accepted, of course, and began to do many wondrous things in her name.” Though Kagome wasn’t always pleased with what her Goddess had commanded of her, but that wasn’t something necessary to the story. “Amaterasu-Sama gave me more power to do good things in the world as war became something that became more common and casualties required more power to heal. I began to refuse to heal humans with my power, and I much preferred to help nature to heal from the ravages of war and my Goddess wasn’t particularly pleased with that.” Kagome’s voice turned bitter and biting.

“She threatened to cast me out if I continued to abandon the humans who were killing each other senselessly, and I told her exactly what I thought.” Kagome stopped, replaying the horrid moment in her head – the wrath of a Goddess enraged at her will being disobeyed, but not being able to take away the power she had given her. It was amusing in it’s own way, and Kagome had walked away unharmed and with the knowledge that she’d made an impression on the Goddess she left behind. Knowing that Amaterasu-Sama knew she was right in the point she had made it even better, and the Gods of Japanese origin had grown used to not directly interfering in any lives but those of their high priests or priestesses. But the things the Goddess had said, both then and throughout the years, had cut her deep.

“What happened?” Thor asked quietly. Kagome barked a laugh and stood, pacing to the other side of the bed.

“I was cast out and left to wander the world alone, not that I wasn’t without companions and I was used to being alone. I went round the villages, got hurt a few times and then abandoned the human world completely.” She summarised the next few hundred years of her life quickly. She didn’t like talking about this kind of thing, at all. “I got captured and tortured a few times, Tony and Loki got me out of me most recent capture and I’ve been here ever since.” Her featured turned a little darker. “If you need more detail, then just remember what I said the other day. I won’t say any more on the matter.” Thor nodded calmingly.

“I must ask how you felt when my brother asked to be your patron.” Kagome grimaced.

“Angry, hurt, betrayed.” Concern filled Thor’s face, along with caution. Kagome stared at the floor. “Scared.” She whispered, and understanding flooded Thor’s features. He moved forward and gently took her hands, holding them in his own.

“Do not fear, Lady Kagome. My brother cares too much to hurt the people he cares about knowingly. He will be good to you.” Kagome bit her lower lip in indecision, and noticed something slightly pained in Thor’s gaze - no doubt he was thinking of the times Loki hurt him before. She smiled, casting aside for a moment her decision.

“He cares for you too, you know. Events have changed him, and he’s been through a lot. He found out he was adopted in the worst way possible, part of a race your people tell stories about to scare their children.” Kagome suddenly narrowed her eyes. “I must talk to Odin about his parenting methods one day - don’t let me forget, Thor.” Successfully cheered up, Thor smiled widely and nodded, letting go of her hands.

“I most certainly will not, Lady Kagome!” She groaned good-naturedly.

“Just Kagome is fine, Thor.” Despite her mild chiding, she kissed his cheek and made her way to the door. “I will most certainly think about what you have said.” She walked out, Thor watching every step before turning to look at the camera.

“I suppose my brother and friend Tony was watching the entire thing, Jarvis?” The thunder got the impression that Jarvis was laughing for a moment.

“Indeed, Thor.”

* * *

 

Tony and Loki chuckled at Thor’s perceptiveness, though it died down as they thought about what Kagome had said about her past experiences. Loki frowned.

“I didn’t know quite so much as that, and I still have the feeling that she held something back, but I will have to ask another time, when this conversation isn’t so raw.” He said slowly. Tony patted Loki’s back in a companionable way. He still didn’t really know about what was going on, though he had an idea. Problem was, he was never quite religious, so Kagome’s past didn’t quite resonate with him as it did with Loki and Thor, obviously. He felt his heart string being tugged nevertheless, and felt a rather familiar protective rage at her treatment.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” The look Loki sent him was full of disbelief and he felt his lips tugging up in a smile. “Oh, I’m sorry, was that too optimistic?” Loki smiled back, a little bemusedly. Tony sobered up a little. “Your brother is very,” He cleared his throat, “hum, direct. Isn’t he?” Loki nodded.

“He is. It was, on this occasion, extremely dangerous – especially with someone of her power.” Loki looked thoughtful for a second. “If she had reacted badly, she could have killed him before we could have done anything, godly status or not.” Loki’s voice deepened, going slightly husky. Tony raised an eyebrow at it, before giving a smirk. He grabbed the front of Loki’s shirt and dragged him forward until he could feel his breath on his lips.

“And you like that?” Loki’s gaze locked on Tony’s lips and his own lifted.

“Like the fact that Kagome is so powerful that she could kill Thor before anyone can do anything about it? And knowing that she would use that power to protect us?” Tony exhaled shakily as Loki moved closer, brushing his lips over Tony’s as he talked. “Of course. Don’t you?” Tony’s lips twitched.

“Yeah.” He breathed and brought their lips together. Kagome silently opened the door to this and stopped in her tracks, observing the way the two men moved together, most definitely the most erotic moment of her life, and so she waited for a moment, letting them enjoy themselves before clearing her throat pointedly. They broke apart quickly, though she was surprised when both of their eyes darkened considerably at the sight of her. She smirked slightly.

“What brought that on?” Tony and Loki, without even looking at each other, smirked lasciviously at her, causing colour to rise in her cheeks.

After a pause, Tony said cheekily, “We were talking about you.” Kagome turned brighter red, but refused to allow that to silence her, so she raised one eyebrow.

“Why does talking about me require you two to eat each other’s faces off?” She asked sardonically, trying to look unimpressed and trying to hide exactly how much that warmed her lower belly in a way she hadn’t yet experienced in a positive way. Loki smirked wider as he replied.

“Well, we were talking about how powerful you are, and how you would use it for our benefit,” Tony’s eyes widened as Loki’s hand drifted up his back and curled around his hair as he talked, pulling him back against the God so that his back rested against Loki‘s chest. He went, not knowing what he was going to do, but relaxing into it all the same while Kagome looked on with widening eyes. “And we found ourselves rather aroused by the prospect,” Loki heaved a sigh, a glint in his eye as he watched Kagome’s reaction, “But, you weren’t here.” He purred, letting his voice deepen and feeling Tony shudder, watching as Kagome’s eyelashes fluttered. He nosed his way up Tony’s neck, keeping his eyes on Kagome’s, who looked a bit like a deer in headlights. “So we had to compensate.” He bared his teeth and bit down sharply - enough to be slightly painful, but from the state of Tony’s trousers, it would just add to the pleasure. A high sound escaped Tony’s mouth that he would never admit he did, though he caught Kagome’s reaction out through the slit of his partially opened eyes, and decided that it wasn’t completely embarrassing.

A whine escaped Kagome’s mouth as her eyes clouded over, watching Loki basically attack Tony’s neck while the inventor laid back and enjoyed it. “You don’t play fair.” She whimpered, before her eyes hardened with determination and a little of something else. Loki mentally gulped, thinking he’d done something wrong, pushed a line somewhere, and licked a line up Tony’s neck. Kagome stalked forward, eyes dark and a smirk forming on her lips. She let some of her power form around her, gently moving her hair with how wild it still was, even after all this time. Tony looked up and gaped at the sight of Kagome so close, a purple-pink light surrounding her and lighting up the inside of her eyes.

“God, you look amazing.” He groaned, eyes half-closing again. The light in Kagome’s eyes brightened for a moment before dimming a little. The smirk on her lips widened as she lowered her eyelashes a little.

“You like the fact that this power will be used in your defence?” She purred, leaning towards them both over the sofa’s back, eyes focussed on Loki. He swallowed thickly and nodded. Kagome pushed a hand into his hair, gently bringing his head back and bringing her lips within an inch of his. She felt his breathing speed up on her lips. “Answer me.” She murmured. Loki’s eyes darkened.

“Yes.” He hissed. She smiled serenely.

“Good.” She whispered back, letting their lips connect. Loki immediately ran his tongue over her lips, asking Kagome to open her mouth. She granted him access while bring her other hand to Loki’s cheek, stroking up to his hair just behind his ear. Loki groaned gutturally and explored her mouth, tasting her from the inside. However, Kagome refused to just lay back and take it, using her tongue to push his away with a wicked curve to her lips. She was just about to return the favour when she heard Tony groan.

“Do you mind? Getting a bit lonely now…” Kagome pulled away with a smirk, looking sideways at Tony.

“Are you sure?” Tony put on a frown, but couldn’t hold it and smiled playfully.

“To be honest, watching you two is pretty hot, but I want some of the love too.” He simpered, pursing his lips. Kagome smiled softly and rolled her eyes, leaning forward and meeting his lips with hers. Immediately his hand went into her hair, and he stunned her into moaning as she discovered his technique, enticing her tongue to play with his own for a moment before smoothly dominating her mouth. She pulled away, panting slightly and eyes glazed. A hint of a smile touched her lips as she leaned back.

“Hmm,” She said, “I’m off to watch a film on the common floor.” She smiled coyly. “Joining me?” Tony and Loki didn’t even need to look at each other before nodding their agreement, getting up and following her to the elevator. There was surprisingly little conversation on the way down, and by silent agreement, all three of them walked over to the sofa, sitting down.

“Jarvis, if you don’t mind.” Kagome said, a smirk curling her reddened lips and something dark sparkling in her eyes. She had a slight impression that Jarvis laughed before he replied.

“Of course.” A film started up - something that Kagome hadn’t seen before, though it looked slightly war-like. She shifted herself until she had her head in Loki’s lap and her feet on Tony’s. The inventor chuckled a little and rested his hands on her feet, while Loki began to run his fingers through her hair, sending slight shivers down her spine as his nails scratched at her scalp.

Eventually, Kagome fell asleep, her throat rumbling with a purr. Bruce, coming through to get a drink from the kitchen, paused as he noticed there was a film on and decided to join them, glancing at the trio already sitting in front of the TV and smiling. It was only at a quiet part that he realised what that rumbling had been. With a shocked look, he gazed at Kagome for a moment before looking at Tony and Loki in shock.

“Is she asleep?” He whispered incredulously. The two of them grinned.

“Yeah, she can keep it up when she’s asleep too.” Tony said, speaking at normal volume, knowing that nothing will disturb Kagome unless she has a nightmare, or is threatened by something.

“Sir, Steve Rodgers is on his way.” Jarvis interrupted quietly, knowing about Kagome’s - and Tony’s - dislike, just before Steve came through the door.

Tony narrowed his eyes at the soldier. “Rodgers.” Steve grimaced, then looked shocked as, in her sleep, Kagome began to growl warningly. Tony grinned sharply at him. “Best be quick - she isn’t happy.” Steve gaped.

“How - isn’t she asleep?” Loki smiled disarmingly.

“Yes, she’s pleasantly unconscious, so I suggest you go away unless you want to talk to her when she’s in a bad mood.” Steve grimaced, partly guilty as he simply walked out. Tony, Loki and Bruce laughed as Kagome stopped growling and snuggled into the two men she was leaning against and began purring again as Loki gently ran his fingers through her hair and continued to watch the film.

  
  



	18. Please, Help Me

Still, even after two weeks, Steve hadn’t approached her, looked at her, or talked to her. Kagome was mildly annoyed. It wasn’t too annoying, as Kagome wasn’t inclined to make friends with everyone - and she didn’t have to, especially as Tony wasn’t exactly cordial towards the captain himself. But still, a part of her that hadn’t yet been destroyed by time, the part of herself that was still nice and wanted to make friends with everyone, wanted to make the effort. Perhaps it was because she saw a small amount of her old self in him - Kami knows her new self didn’t care a whit if the Captain liked her or not.

 _It was unfortunate_ , she thought to herself, _that Steve was a hypocrite/goody-two-shoes_. If he accepted that part of him that wasn’t too nice to others - the part that had lived and fought in a war, seen his best friend killed, and then woken in a time that was not his own. She’d read the file and all she could think when she did was ‘ _been there, done that_ ’. He could have ended up just like her, well, if he’d live a few more hundred years. As it was, he was just a badly coping twenty year old in a place that is unfamiliar, so she couldn’t help but view him as a child that was having problems adjusting to change.

It was not bothering her too much, except when it made the others feel awkward, as she was starting to like them – the rest of them had made their peace with her, usually including some sort of threat. Bruce still didn’t seem to have a problem with her, even after her little display, though that may have something to do with the fact that Tony was also sort of dark, as was Loki, and had obsessions with strange things. And so, here she sat, lounging in Tony’s penthouse, with nothing to do, no one to see. On a whim, as she leaned back on the sofa, slouching a little so her head touched the back rest, she opened the link between she and Jarvis.

 _Hey, Jarv._ She chirped. _How have you been?_ In her head, in a small, private area, she still wondered at the code she saw streaming through the bond, studying how the AI processed the greeting and question.

 _Fine, Kagome._ He returned, sounding amused. After a pause, wherein Kagome tried to find a topic to talk about, he asked, _You’re bored, aren’t you?_ She gave a small smile, feeling a little useless.

 _Yeah._ She replied quietly. _It’s just… I don’t do much here, just sit around._

 _Don’t forget that you stopped an intruder a few weeks ago, Kagome. You are not useless._ Jarvis paused for a moment, seemingly trying to find the right words. _Judging by your behaviour recently, it’s more that you are restless and bored, not useless._ Kagome took that in, and then nodded.

 _I suppose so._ She sat up again. _Where is Loki? I know Tony is with his company, doing… stuff, even though he isn’t CEO. Head of the R &D department, was it?_ Jarvis sent an affirmative, though not by coding.

 _Loki is in the bedroom, looking through the wardrobe and drawers in search of something._ The even more amused tone in Jarvis’ ‘voice’ told Kagome the search was for something that would potentially embarrass Tony or to simply root around. She smirked.

 _I think I’ll go and distract him._ She told the AI and lithely stood, making her way to the bedroom soundlessly. She didn’t bother knocking, merely opening the door and waiting for Loki to notice her. To his credit, it didn’t take him long, and he spun around to find Kagome watching him bemusedly, leaning against the door frame. He froze, evidently trying to find something to say that wouldn’t be suspicious.

 

“Hi… fancy seeing you here.” He eventually started with, after Kagome offered no help by starting the conversation and offering him an outlet. He’d also gotten a quick hang of English slag, and enjoyed using it to disconcert people, as it was a far cry from his usual proper British diction. Kagome rose an eyebrow.

“What are you doing, exactly?” She asked. Loki laughed nervously, not knowing what to tell her, knowing that she could either side with him, or go and tell Tony what he was doing. Not that he thought Tony would mind - the genius would probably find it funny. When Kagome’s foot began to tap impatiently on the floor, he quickly decided to just tell the truth.

“I’m looking for something to embarrass Tony.” He said quickly in one breath. There was a moment of silence while Kagome looked at him, blank faced. He didn’t know what exactly was running through her head, but something in her facial expression twitched, and he had the distinct impression that he was getting laughed at.

“Tony Stark is a man that lived in the media and committed a lot of his mistakes in front of them, mostly on purpose.” She rose her eyebrows. “Do you really think that he’s going to be ashamed of anything other than his ignorant non-accountability before Afghanistan?” She asked, a slight grimace twisting her lips as she mentioned Afghanistan that Loki unconsciously echoed. “However,” She continued, she lips turning up into a smile. “I’ll be sure to let him know.” Then she laughed at his fondly chagrined expression. Slowly a smirk formed on Loki’s lips, alerting her that something wasn’t quite right, making her eye him warily. He slowly walked towards her.

“Kagome.” He purred, eyes molten emerald. She gulped, heat flushing through her.

“Hai?” She said, nervousness making her automatically speak her home language. Loki picked up on it and laughed lowly, still walking towards her with all the grace of a predator locked on its prey. A part of Kagome’s mind that wasn’t focused on that particular fact was rather amused at the thought that she was possibly prey and not, in fact, predator.

“Tut, tut, Kagome.” He rumbled in his usual rich British voice. “Is your English slipping?” His eyes narrowed with delight. “I tended to have that effect throughout the years.” He wrapped an arm around her waist, eyes still locked on hers and their bodies were pressed against each other. Loki’s free hand lifted to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and if it lightly stroked down Kagome’s cheek and neck on the way down to join the other on her waist, well, it could hardly be helped. Kagome smirked, her eyes darkening as she rolled her hips against his, earning a hiss from Loki. He smiled down at her with lazy seduction. He bent his head to capture her lips with his own -

“Excuse me for interrupting, but Sir is on his way, and with a guest who has a request for the Avengers.” Jarvis said, and Loki could swear that he heard some amusement in the AI’s tone as he sighed, cursed softly, and let Kagome go. He also could have sworn that Kagome’s eyes laughed at him as she turned away to go to the common room, and with a sigh, Loki followed.

* * *

 

Jarvis had alerted the other Avengers about Tony and their guest. The inventor walked out of the elevator talking animatedly with a young woman with mouse-brown hair down to her shoulders, a pleasantly shaped face with brown eyes. She was dressed smartly in a knee-length skirt, light blue blouse, black jacket and flat pumps. Tony turned to the gathered Avengers, Kagome and Loki with a winning smile.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Maya Hansen, a rather clever bio-engineer.” There was a light in his eyes that everyone recognised. They groaned.

“Please tell me you didn’t, Tony.” Bruce said, leaning forward just slightly. Tony looked innocent.

“Do what?” Kagome couldn’t stop herself from laughing as Tony’s overly-innocent tone revealed that he did exactly what everyone thought he’d done and Bruce face-palmed. He’d slept with her. Tony looked slightly offended. “What?” He demanded. Maya bit her lip and touched his arm slightly. His expression smoothed out into seriousness, leaving some of them (see: Steve Rodgers) surprised at the change. “She has a problem.” Maya smiled slightly.

“I developed an enhancement recently that gives the user, via one singular dose, greater strength, speed, healing ability, immune system and the ability to breathe fire, tapping into a part of the brain that isn’t used usually. In fact, the entire thing is based on heat.” She looked slightly ashamed, then. “Unfortunately, while the biology was right, the technology and engineering part wasn’t. The first few tests went… wrong.” She grimaced, and didn‘t need to elaborate on what went wrong. “We thought we’d perfected it, but when we tried it on a focus group of humans… well, they basically had a limited time before spontaneously combusting. But, again, we perfected it, we thought. The volunteer we tried it on next survived, but he went insane and escaped.” She looked at them all determinedly. “I need you to capture him and, if you can, take him down.” And she was faced with mostly apologetic looks. Bruce shook his head.

“I can’t help you, I just smash things - that’s going to be of no help with someone of enhanced speed and strength, along with healing.” Thor found himself nodding in agreement.

“Aye, I fear that that is all I would be good for in this, Lady Maya. Unless,” Thor continued with a hint of humour. “I could defeat him with lightening.” Steve also shook his head.

“Strength I might hold up to, but healing and speed isn’t something I can combat effectively without anything like my motorbike, which I don’t think will help.” Kagome rolled her eyes from where she was sitting as far away from him as she could. Similar things were also heard from Natasha and Clint - and she could see why - they were literally human for the most part, with the exception of Natasha, but she’d be no match even then without heat protection gear. Everyone’s eyes turned to Tony, who smirked.

“Course I’ll help, even if these cretins can’t.” Kagome smoothly rose and grinned challengingly.

“‘If we can,’” Kagome quoted Maya, “Sounds like a challenge to me.” She levelled her gaze on Tony and Maya. “If he’s as strong as you say, then I’ll be there.” Loki rolled his eyes.

“I’ll be coming along as well, I guess.” He sent playful looks to Kagome and Tony. “Have to make sure you don’t get killed.” Kagome’s smile widened and she scoffed.

“As if I could ever die.” Loki nodded in acquiescence, then gestured to Tony.

“I meant him.” Tony who, up until now, was watching the exchange in pleasure, gaped.

“Hey! I resent that comment.” Everyone rolled their eyes, Bruce, Clint and Natasha snickering.

“True though, Stark.” Clint remarked. The genius billionaire inventor pouted and stalked away to his lab.

“Everyone get prepped for the trip.” He spun around and glared. “You’re all coming, whether fighting or not. We need to keep a perimeter anyway.” The Avengers sighed and got up to get their gear on. Maya still stood, watching the Avengers act like children told by their mother to brush their teeth. Kagome walked right up to her, staring at her for a moment before smiling brightly and holding out a hand for a handshake.

“Hello, Maya Hansen. My name is Kagome, nice to meet you!” Maya blinked at the suddenness of Kagome’s announcement and shook Kagome’s hand.

“Nice to meet you too, Kagome.” Kagome nodded and casually walked away. Loki gave a cordial smile and nod of the head before following.

“My Lady.” Maya still stood there, facing the sofas on the communal floor of the Tower.

“Where am I supposed to go?” She tensed when she heard a voice from the ceiling.

“If you would like to wait here, the Avengers will be with you shortly to escort to a medical facility near the site they will battle the runaway subject.” There was a slight pause before the voice spoke again. “What is the name of the subject?

“Mallen. Will the Avengers be expecting to be injured?” Maya asked, cautiously.

“From what you have described of this drug, they think it will be best to have medical assistance on hand.” Maya frowned.

“How does Tony know I’m a trained medical doctor?” When the voice spoke again, it sounded as if it was rolling its eyes - if it had any.

“Sir is Tony Stark.” Maya shrugged.

“What is the drug called?” Maya started at the new voice - Kagome’s - and turned to find Kagome wearing her hair up, combat boots, boot cut jeans, and a blue short-sleeved t-shirt.

“Extremis.” Kagome rose an eyebrow at the name, but said nothing.

One by one, the Avengers appeared along with Loki and went up to the roof to the quinjet, though Tony flew up to it in his suit from the outside. They were silent on the way to the site of the battle-to-be and Kagome took the opportunity to once again, for what seemed to be the millionth time in the last three weeks, think about Loki’s offer. Dare she take it? Believe and be safe once again, while simultaneously leaving an opening for her to get herself hurt, or carry on as she did now.

She had to admit, she didn’t enjoy how unstable she was at the moment - for the past four hundred years, in fact. So many horrible things happening and nothing to distract her or take away some of the pain, soothing old wounds.

* * *

 

They landed almost silently near a grassland that was fairly close to the medical centre, both the jet and the medical centre hidden away. Jarvis’ heat scans from inside the suit told him that Mallen was close, would soon hit the nearby town, and by extension, the city. Come what may, Tony Stark would be ready and waiting.


	19. Firebomb

No one knew exactly what had happened. One minute, Tony was waiting, the other Avengers with Loki and Kagome off to the side the wait and watch. The next, there was a blur that only Tony and Kagome saw - and Tony only saw it because of Jarvis - that punched Tony in his gold-titanium alloyed face.

What followed next was a flurry of blows that Tony defended himself against on instinct and self-preservation. Jarvis was collecting information about Mallen and his abilities that Tony could use later. Tony charged up the Unibeam and managed to throw Mallen back, and for a moment after Mallen got back up, there was a pause where both opponents measured each other up, Tony’s HUD highlighting areas of Mallens body that would slow him down and injure him, while Mallen waited for Iron Man to make a move.

When Iron Man fell into a passive-aggressive stance, leaving little openings that only a trained eye would perceive and plenty of opportunity for him for move quickly, efficiently, and unpredictably, Mallen charged. The following exchange looked, to the observers, to be more of a dance.

“Sir, are you sure this will work?” Jarvis asked, reaching out a part of himself to the link that kept he and Kagome connected and tugging on it a little to get her attention. Outside the suit, Kagome closed her eyes and leaned against a tree, keeping some of her awareness on the outside world, but delving into Jarvis’ mindscape and melding with him a little, just enough to be in the suit with him.

“Sure,” Tony answered, a little distractedly, focusing his attention on dodging the faster being. “Just gotta slow him down. I figure that that super speed doesn’t come with super stamina - he has to slow down eventually, right?” He punctuated the question with a grunt as he managed to land a suit-charged punch to the man’s diaphragm.

“If you say so sir, but I must insist that you have a plan B.” Tony laughed.

“You know what I’m like, Jarvis. Plans are made on the fly. Plans are Cap’s thing.” Kagome sighed and excavated herself from the suit and Jarvis. _He’s going to get himself killed._ She thought, opening her eyes and watching the fight fully. It had, by now degenerated into a brawl with the occasional high-speed dodge. She narrowed her eyes. They were all ill-prepared for this fight - they need more information on Extremis.

And so, with that goal in mind, Kagome slipped away, unnoticed by her fellow observers. Her destination was Maya’s emergency medical centre. She walked in there, startling Maya.

“Is someone injured already?” She asked, voice utterly surprised. Kagome’s serious expression didn’t shift.

“No, but unless we have all the information we can on Extremis, someone just may be.” Maya offered a half-smile and gestured to a computer, clicking the mouse a few times before showing her the screen.

“Well, it would take an awfully long time to explain it, but if you can understand the coding for it, then you’re free to have a look.” Kagome stepped up to the computer and spent the next few minutes scrolling the code that she could actually understand thanks to her connection with Jarvis. Then she sighed.

“A lot of the coding is corrupted or unfinished, which may explain why it kept on going wrong.” Kagome began, pulling the keyboard over to herself and correcting the parts of Extremis that didn’t quite make sense, or were simply unnecessary. She pulled on the connection between Jarvis and herself, asking for a little bit of help, scanning the entire coding with her eyes again, giving him an overview of what she was doing. He highlighted bits that he thought that would be helpful, especially seeing as the vitals from the suit told him that Tony was tiring and beginning to get injured.

If Mallen managed to get in a solid punch in Tony’s stomach with his super-strength, then the inventor could possibly be fatally injured with internal bleeding. Another punch and ‘possibly’ turned into ‘definitely’. With a grin, Kagome decided that should that occur, she should probably leave some mistakes for Tony to correct should he get injured to the point of wanting to inject himself with Extremis. As it was, she merely enlisted Jarvis’ help in giving the user of Extremis the ability to connect with any kind of technology.  She didn’t tell Maya what she was doing, who merely suspected that she was straightening out the formula.

With a satisfied sigh, Kagome stretched out her fingers, shaking them a little, and allowed Jarvis to once again focus his attention on Tony. Maya watched her curiously.

“Is it okay now?” Kagome smiled softly.

“It should be fine now, for the most part.” She winked at the doctor and put a finger on her lips. “But don’t tell anyone I did this, especially not Tony, okay?” Maya nodded with a bemused smile and watched as Kagome smiled a little wider and turned away, heading back out the door.

 

She was nearly back to the other observers when something slammed into her head with all the weight of a freight train. Jarvis desperately showing her his view of Tony’s vitals. Kagome didn’t know quite how she then got to the grasslands as quickly as she did, only that one second she wasn’t there, and the next she was. Iron Man was keeled over, Mallen being a good enough fighter, even in his insanity, to back off for a little bit while Iron Man recovered. One of his arms was over the dented torso of the suit.

_Jarvis._ She called. She could feel his relief clearly.

_Internal bleeding from his stomach and abdomen._ If Jarvis continued with anything else, Kagome wasn’t listening anymore. She turned to the partially hidden Avengers.

“What are you doing just standing there?” She yelled at them. Her eyes narrowed while a purple light shone from within them. “Get him to Maya.” A snarl contorted her face as she turned back to face Mallen, and walked forwards, past Loki, who stood back with a scowl of his own on his face, and past Tony, who had turned his head towards her as she approached. There was no way of telling his expression, so Kagome didn’t bother to try, merely continued to walk towards Mallen and listened to the other Avengers collectively pick up 200lb of Iron Man armour plus the weight of Tony Stark. Mallen laughed dirtily.

“Ho? They’re sending a little girl after me now?” He grinned before Kagome’s loud snarl echoed in the nearly-empty land, and the grin on his face wasn’t nearly so big. They stood in stand off for a while, Kagome standing completely straight, giving nothing away in her body language other than patient maliciousness. Loki watched the pause in interest, never having seen Kagome in such an animalistic state, while still somehow maintaining her composure. Clint, Natasha, Steve and Thor returned, making general noise and coming to stand behind her in a silent show of support. Kagome, however, merely tensed.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Her voice was a sibilant whisper. They all faltered, and Clint and Natasha backed away slowly, once again joining Loki in watching. Steve and Thor remained oblivious to the warning tone.

“Helping you.” Steve replied. Kagome laughed lowly, dangerously.

“Oh, really?” She drawled. “Both of you who said that they wouldn’t be able to help much in this, have suddenly decided that _I_ need _help_?” She bit. The two men blanched.

“We meant no offence, Lady Kagome.” Kagome’s reiki began to form around her, making her glow slightly purple and her hair begin to sway in it’s ponytail.

“Go away, foolish children.” She intoned, sounding almost bored. Steve gaped.

“Hey -” His protest was cut off when Kagome turned, anger clear in her features.

“I said leave!” Her eyes narrowed in warning. “This isn’t any of your business.” Then she turned away again in clear dismissal. After a moment, she smiled sweetly at Mallen. “Now where were we?” She asked. Mallen didn’t bother to reply, and, using his enhanced speed, attacked.

With a laugh, Kagome dodged gracefully, sounding as if she was merely laughing at a joke someone had told rather than avoiding someone trying to kill her - or at the least, injure her fatally.

Loki watched as Kagome rejected the Avengers’ help, and began her fight. In all honesty, he was just as angry as she was, though she wasn’t really showing exactly how angry she really was. Loki supposed that Kagome’s past made her all the more possessive over those she loved, and spending over a century with a group that was pack-minded probably encouraged that aspect of her personality. He also watched as she displayed some of her reiki in her anger, and couldn’t resist hoping that she accepted his offer of becoming his priestess. The idea was extremely appealing, not that their relationship would suffer if she didn’t accept, if she didn’t decide to trust in him - and in all honesty, he would understand if she didn’t, from what he understood, her previous experience wasn’t too pleasant -, no, but if she did… wonderful.


	20. Extremis

Tony groaned as Jarvis disassembled the suit from him, removing the pressure from around his stomach, making him that much more aware of the pain from the general area of his abdomen. He grimaced and hissed as Maya and Bruce both checked him over for any more injuries apart that this particular one.

“Don’t be idiotic.” He snapped when his fingers were inspected. “What are my chances of recovering?” He asked, a little calmer. Maya looked away, and Bruce flinched before meeting his eyes.

“Less than 28%.” Tony nodded, laughing slightly before that made the pain feel like it was ripping him apart from the inside. “You have severe internal bleeding - four hours, at most.” Tony sighed and looked around.

“Cosy little place you have here, Doc.” He murmured to Maya before an interested sound passed his lips at the sight of the computer - and more specifically, what was on the computer. Coding. Maya, from the looks of the notepad and pen near the desktop, had been taking notes on whatever it was. “What’s that?” Bruce cocked a wry smile.

“The coding for Extremis,” Maya replied. “I was trying to find out exactly where we went wrong.” Tony made grabbing motions with his hands.

“Gimme.” With a surprised laugh, Maya and Bruce helped him to get up, seeing as they couldn’t drag the desk towards him without the desktop and monitor crashing to the floor. Tony hummed as he skimmed the coding and noted a few things that could be changed. Then it hit him. “This could save my life.” He pointed to the screen, at a particular line of coding, looking between Bruce and Maya. “That, right there, the beginnings of an advanced healing program specifically modified for the brain. If I adjust it a little…” He trailed off as he typed away on the keyboard. “And this fire-breathing thing… not necessary. Get rid of that.” He stated before following through. “Speed really doesn’t need to be enhanced that much, neither does the strength.” He deleted some of it before entering some more code so the line was complete. “There.” He said, satisfied. Then he turned to Maya. “Can we engineer a dose of it here?” Maya nodded. Tony smiled, turning back to the screen. “Good. How long would it take to create?”

“Before, it took well over two hours… but with the shorter bio-chemistry necessary… about forty minutes.”

 

Mallen shouted in rage as Kagome merely kept on dodging. She didn’t, to the surprise of her watchers, even seem to be tired and she’d been dodging Mallen for a good ten minutes, with increasing speed. Finally, Mallen got close and Kagome watched with some interest as red-hot-heat crept up his throat and fire came out of his mouth. Kagome was blown back, the hand that she’d quickly brought up to protect herself black and red. She leapt up, suddenly noticing the charred hand, much to the horror of everyone watching. Clint had silently gotten out his phone and begun filming when he realised how funny it was to watch Mallen chase after Kagome as she dodged him. He didn’t know how funny it was anymore.

“Well,” Kagome announced to Mallen’s smirking face. “I certainly wasn’t expecting that.” Mallen chuckled lowly and crouched, his throat already heating up again. Kagome felt her own lips stretch into a smirk as her hand glowed with reiki, the burns healing in front of Mallen’s eyes. The purple glow burned behind her eyes as well. “My turn.” She smiled widely and leapt for him, relishing in his shocked expression.

 

Half an hour later, and Tony lay back on the bed, breathing out slowly to relax muscles that really wanted to tense up at the pain going through his abdomen. Maya came up to him, a syringe of green liquid held in her hand. She leant towards him as Bruce sat back in a chair, a reluctant look of resignation on his face as he knew that Tony would do anything to live, but not liking the fact that the inventor would go so far as to inject himself with something that has killed many people beforehand.

“Are you sure about this, Tony?” He gave her a wide grin.

“Not really, but when am I ever?” Maya rolled her eyes and inserted the needle, and watched the green formula enter Tony’s veins.

“Jesus ever-loving Christ!” He gasped as the pain he felt intensified dramatically. Bruce grit his teeth and reminded himself to keep calm as he watched Tony begin to shake and convulse. Maya bit her lip and turned away, hoping it would all be over soon. Tony only knew overwhelming pain before he blacked out, leaving his companions to watch the transformation. Minutes after the injection, Bruce and Maya became alarmed when Tony went completely limp, and after a quick check, they discovered that Tony’s heart had stopped.

 

Unsurprisingly, Mallen found himself incredibly surprised when Kagome forced him to be on the defensive.

“Aww.” She mocked. “Is the man too scared of a little girl to fight back?” Steve and Thor cringed at the tone and words. Mallen fairly roared in anger.

“Like I’d ever loose to a pathetic whore who doesn’t know that her place is on the ground with her legs spread.” He growls loudly, and Kagome freezes, smile still in place.

“Pardon?” She asked politely, smile still on her face, but her eyes blazing with rage. Mallen didn’t bother to attack again, more than pleased with the nerve he seems to have pressed.

“Your place,” He repeated with obvious pleasure, “Is with your legs spread and your cunt ready for me to fuck.” Kagome snarled while her eyes darkened, her entire body stiffening. Loki and the Avengers recognised it for what it was - Kagome half in a flashback - obviously not one where she was at least respected as a human being. Not that she was human anyway.

It took a moment, but Kagome eventually lowered her head as she laughed, sounding deranged to her onlookers. The laughter built up until it shook her whole body. Her hair began to sway as she straightened her posture so she was standing tall and stiff, and a purple aura formed around her, visible to everyone, looking like steam rising from her body.

“You have no idea what you are talking about, you pathetic excuse for a human being.” She laughed, then lowered her voice to a hiss. “I have lived through generations of that language and that abuse, and couldn’t do a thing about it.” Her head rose, then, revealing a manic and feral grin, and eyes the colour of a stormy sky. “ _No more._ I will kill you for the offence you have caused me, as well as the damage you have done to my pack.” She announced.

She leapt forward, landing a solid punch to Mallen’s face before he realised she had moved, and she quickly followed it up with a kick to the side that had enough strength to force him back a good few feet. She leapt up into the air backwards, flipping so she could control her decent and landing. When she landed, she closed her eyes for a seconds, a small smirk on her face. _I haven’t done this for a while._ She thought to herself as she concentrated her power enough to form a katana. She spun it slowly in her hands for a moment, getting a feel of it.

Mallen didn’t waste anymore time though and charged at her, red-hot heat blossoming across his arms, hands, throat and head. Kagome assumed that it went all the way across his body and grinned, waiting for him to come. When he was close enough, she bent her knees and jumped just in time to avoid a punch to the gut - which, enforced with his enhanced strength, probably would have gone through her stomach like butter. She flipped her sword around so the tip was down to the earth, and put all her weight behind falling. Her feet landed on his head, while the katana pierced his stomach. She loaded the reiki-sword with more energy, and heard Mallen roar in pain into the dirt. She supposed that she managed to either cauterize the wound so he couldn’t heal it, or halted his healing factor all together.

Kagome jumped off Mallen’s head and landed on the ground next to him, looking contemplatively at his body that wasn’t able to respond quickly enough. With a laugh, Kagome rose the sword and swung down again, slicing clean through his leg at the knee. Mallen screamed.

She tutted and shook her head. “What’s the matter with you? It’s only a little cut.” She taunted viciously. She crouched down. “I want to see if your ‘healing factor’ can deal with this or not.” She cocked her head as Mallen managed to raise up on his arms and hands, and his working leg. “Oh? Recovering already?” She grinned. “Let’s see how your super speed works now. I am, after all, a fair opponent, and I do have a sense of honour, even if,” She hissed out, rising and stepping back, “I am _just a mere woman_.” He struggled his way up to standing, balancing carefully on his one leg, before huffing out a laugh.

“I think you have me at a disadvantage.” Kagome tipped her head, eying him.

“You’re right.” She smirked darkly. “But then, you were destined to die the moment you injured Iron Man.” With her piece said, she walked forward and held the tip of her katana against his neck threateningly. “How shall I kill you?” A small, almost evil smile curled her lips. “I could behead you, slice into your artery so you bleed out,” A feral smile lighted her features, and for the first time, it truly dawned on Mallen that he’d crossed someone that he should never have crossed, someone that had no qualms in killing him slowly and making him suffer. He grimaced, but covered it up with a smug laugh.

“Oh? I have a choice now?” Kagome gave a cold smile.

“No. I was merely musing out loud.” She murmured, eyeing him up and down.  "Choices, choices." She pushed the tip of the katana into his throat a little harder. "I would love to stain the ground with your pathetic, mortal, disease infested blood." She continued, before grinning widely and pulling the blade away a little, and shrinking it to a dagger-sized blade. The she nicked his artery. "There." She said, smiling satisfactorily. One of hands glowed with reiki, and she blew into it, aiming at Mallen. "Loki, darling, come here." She purred loud enough for the God to hear as she moved behind the insane human and held him still by his arms.

With a grin, Loki did indeed go to her. "You wanted me, Kagome?" She smiled sweetly at him.

"Yes. You are angry at this piece of dirt?" Loki nodded with a bemused smile. Kagome's own smile widened and became cruel. "Then now's your chance, dearest." Loki smiled maliciously in return, fixing his venomous green gaze to Mallen. Then to Mallen’s neck, where he was slowly, _oh so slowly,_ bleeding out. He hummed in consideration, then took his own dagger out.

"I'm afraid that he simply isn't going fast enough for me." He dug in the dagger, making the wound that much deeper, and the flow of blood increased. He locked gazes with Kagome, saw her dilated pupils. "You can drop him now." With a vicious grin and a violent shove, she did so, not really concerned with the possibility that Mallen would once again rise. Then, with a strangely serene look in her eyes, she knelt, once again allowing her reiki to rise from her like steam. Loki's eyes widened, and several feet away, Thor did the same.

"My heart is yours, my soul is yours, my power is yours, and my life is yours. Loki Laufeysson, God of Mischief, Lies, Chaos, and Fire, I, Kagome Higurashi, dedicate myself to your service for as long as you wish for me to be. For eternity." Loki smiled warmly.

"I offer you my protection for so long as you serve me, and will look after you well, sweet Kagome." Mallen scoffed from where he lay, and Loki's eyes narrowed angrily. Before Loki had registered that Kagome had moved, she was standing above Mallen’s body, her glowing sword piercing his neck.

"Be silent." She uttered coldly, face hardened ice. Then she turned and jumped at Loki, hugging him tightly. The God's arms went around her, and she smiled, breathing in deeply. "Thank you." She breathed so the others wouldn't hear.

"No problem, Kagome." Loki replied, equally quietly. Kagome pulled back and smiled, then walked back to where the others were. The humans looked utterly confused, and yet, as Natasha and Clint looked behind her to the remains of Mallen, who seemed to be in the last-twitching stage of his life, and then at the still-simmering rage behind Kagome's eyes, they wisely didn't ask. Steve just stayed stubbornly silent due to the fact that he was aware that he'd pissed off the powerful miko, and didn't want to make it worse.

"Right," She announced, "Let's go and see how Tony is doing." Her features darkened as she turned away. "I hope I won't have to take extreme actions." She muttered to Loki. Loki glanced at her, and his lips thinned.

 

When they got to Maya's clinic, Bruce was already outside, his face serious and weary. Kagome's eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything. Steve did though.

"Bruce, how is he?" Bruce responded with a sigh as he took his glasses off, rubbing at his eyes.

"Tony adjusted Extremis and injected himself with it." Bruce sighed again. "His heart stopped during the conversion process." Everyone heard a low rumble and looked towards Kagome, who kept her facial expression impassive. Loki looked entirely unimpressed.

"Continue, Bruce." Kagome said, voice light and carefree. Bruce gave her a sheepish smile.

"His heartbeat started back up on its own, and he's fine, just trying to come to terms with everything that he can do now." Kagome smirked.

"I bet he is." She sounded amused, for some strange reason, and the rest of them looked towards her curiously. Clint and Steve opened their mouths to ask her what was so funny, but we're interrupted by a very familiar voice.

"Oh, this is so awesome! Why didn't I have this before?" They all frowned slightly and went inside, with the exception of Kagome, who pulled back Loki as well.

He took one look at her expression, and asked, "What did you do?" Kagome affected an innocent mask.

"Who, me?" Loki smiled at her knowingly, and without him having to say a word, she cracked. "I may or may not have made sure he had technopathy, and a slightly longer life." She grinned mischievously and then skipped inside. "Right," She called to them all, "I think it's about time we all went home."


	21. You What?!

Tony, Kagome, Loki, and the Avengers, all piled back in to the quinjet with a worried looking Maya. Tony was looking around him with a look of fascination as he felt the engine start up and the technology come to life. He winced as he realised that he could feel _everything_ and it momentarily overloaded his brain until he had some basic firewalls in place, just enough to hold back enough data that he wasn't being swamped with it. He'd employ Jarvis' help in creating something more effective and less haphazard later.

Kagome watched Tony from the corner of her eye, wondering when he'd ask how he has technopathy when Mallen did not, and she was curious about how long it would be until someone told Tony about the murderous state she and Loki had been in.  She did not, however, speak to either Loki or Tony throughout the flight back to the tower, nor did she say anything more than a simple goodbye when Tony escorted Maya out and the other Avengers decided to go back to their own floors, having got all of the information they wanted from Tony on the flight. She was much too busy trying to distance herself from the part of her that was still _so very angry_ and wanting to go back and murder every single being that had ever done Loki, Tony and herself wrong. It was incredibly difficult, but not something that she hadn't done before.

“Kagome." Someone called, surprising her out of her thoughts of rage. Before she could stop herself, she snarled, belatedly realising that it was Bruce standing in front of her sitting form. She blinked, and smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry, I - ah - didn't realise that it was you." Bruce waved it off with a small smile.

“Don't worry about it. More importantly, how are you?" The look she was receiving told her that the question was a cover for a deeper concern, and that she'd better not lie when answering that concern. Kagome grimaced, squirming uncomfortably.

“Furious. Incredibly so." Bruce nodded understandingly, and then paused as she continued. "And I'm worried.”

“Why?”

Kagome smiled wryly. "Because I adjusted the formula of Extremis and Tony doesn't know." Bruce raised an eyebrow.

“I know that’s not all of it.” He said expectantly, his expression as patient as ever. Kagome smiled self-depreciatingly.

“No.” She murmured, age showing in her eyes suddenly, startling Bruce. “No,” She repeated, even quieter. “But I’m sure that all will discover what I have done, and we will see what my fate will be.” Then she stood, eyes dark with thought, and walked out, not noticing Bruce’s look of both surprise and concern.

 

 

He wondered what she’d done for a moment, but dismissed it as anything that involved them getting hurt. He supposed that it was more of an emotional issue, perhaps a mental one. He knew that Tony had gained a little something _extra_ with the infection of Extremis, something that allowed him to connect and use technology without even needing to speak or move. But something told him that that wasn’t the problem, something she’d done that she obviously didn’t want Tony to know, but he’d now find out… something to do with technology. Bruce’s eyes widened and he sucked in a breath as he looked in the direction Kagome had left in. Jarvis?

Tony saw Maya out, and immediately went to his lab and sat down, a small ball of panic in the pit of his stomach, as well as excitement and anticipation. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Okay, J. Let’s see if I can get to you.” He closed his eyes and relaxed, tentatively reaching out. And, _whoa_ , okay, he wasn’t expecting that huge wall of code and _life_. He knew he’d eventually made Jarvis sentient in the upgrades following those first few sets of drunkenly-made code, but this… _this_ was something that he wasn’t expecting.

 _Socking, isn’t it, sir?_ Jarvis asked, his code-speech coming through loud and clear, his amusement doing the same. _You’re not the only one._ Tony frowned.

 _Not the only one?_ He asked, danger humming beneath his skin. He felt Jarvis pause, and felt his cautiousness. Stunned at the hesitation, at the almost-fear Jarvis felt towards him, Tony paused, and then thought everything through. Loki definitely wouldn’t – while he had a good relationship with Jarvis, willing to joke and play, he wasn’t the type to push boundaries. Thor and the other Avengers wouldn’t, sort-of freaked out by Jarvis and his sentience, so that left Kagome. _Kagome’s touched you?_ He tried not to convey his protective rage, and slight jealousy, and knew he failed when Jarvis seemed to frown.

 _Yes, she discovered me a few months back._ Tony ignored the protectiveness in Jarvis’ own tone, and focused on the fact that Kagome had _known_ for _months_ and had said _nothing_. Nervously, without his creator listening, Jarvis called Kagome down to the lab. He didn’t answer any of her enquiries, but brought her straight down in the lift.

“Tony? Jarvis?” Kagome called as the door opened and she looked around, worry coating her tone. Had something happened? Her eyes darkened for a moment, and she paused mid-step – has Tony found out about her and Jarvis’ link? She continued to where she felt his aura, which was tight around him, something that rarely happened. She knew that his aura was usually quite tight around him anyway, she supposed because of his immense self-control. But this was unusual. “Is something wrong?” She continued when she saw him, his back to her.

He span round, his face completely serious. “Yes, actually.” He bit. Kagome’s eyes widened and she resisted the urge to step back. What…?

“Tony?” She whispered. His eyes narrowed.

“When were you going to tell me?” He growled lowly. Kagome’s arms came up and she actually took the step back.

“Tell you…?” She trailed off, utterly confused. Even though Tony was still sitting, his posture and narrowed eyes made it clear that he wasn’t going to take any nonsense and that he was _very much_ a threat.

He bared his teeth in a sick parody of a smile, and Kagome tensed, instinctively knowing that she’d crossed a line somewhere, and she had an inkling of where that line was. “You _touched_ Jarvis.” He snarled, something dark, and _hurt_ in his voice. It was the hurt that Kagome paid attention to. She shifted her stance, straightening her spine and holding her hands behind her back.

“I formed a link with him, yes.” Tony’s eyes narrowed.

“How _dare_ you?” He raged, standing suddenly. “He is mine, and you didn’t tell me, didn’t ask, and didn’t inform me of anything!” Kagome narrowed her eyes.

“I have discovered a lot of things these past few months, Tony, including the amazing life that Jarvis has.” Her eyes momentarily wandered to Jarvis’ camera, wonder in her eyes, not for the first time. Tony lost that self-control that he held onto so tightly.

“You had no right! You toed the line, Kagome.” Kagome looked at him carefully. She saw in his face what his voice had already told her, and her features darkened.

“So, what?” She challenged. “You’re _jealous_ that I discovered, that I formed a bond with Jarvis several weeks before you did. Is that it?” She asked, voice dripping with condescension. Tony was stunned into silence, so she continued. “Jarvis is a living, sentient being and has the rights of one – you may have been his creator and father, back when he was a few lines of code, but now he is his own person and you being overprotective is not going to help him develop further.” Tony’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment. Jarvis tentatively spoke up.

“She’s right. And she did make the link with my permission, and before that, she apologized for touching my soul, even though I didn’t realize she did, and she was shocked herself.” Tony’s eyes narrowed further.

“And yet I still wasn’t told.” His lips curled in a mockery of a pleasant smile. “Exactly how much do you think you can get away with?” Condescension dripped from his tone, and her eyebrows rose in response at the turn-around.

“So my staying here, _free_ , is conditional?” She whispered, still staring at him. Tony blinked, surprised, and went to speak again before he was interrupted by a bitter laugh. “I should have known. What is it you want Tony? I have nothing to give, nothing left except from my damaged psyche and a broken body. What is it you expect me to do?” She asked, arms wide in a confrontational questioning gesture, her voice firm, yet with a trembling note of pleading that she refused to show on her face and damned herself for letting it through her voice. Tony didn’t think before he spoke.

“I expect you to respect me as a person, not something that you can toy with, and ignore for ages apart from when I get hurt. And now I hear you’ve been keeping secrets? About Jarvis? How many more lies have you told?” He felt Jarvis shift in place, and realized that he was still linked to the AI. He felt the disbelief that he, Tony, would say such a thing to Kagome, and the fierce protectiveness that he felt towards both of the people in the lab. Oh God, he even felt the discomfort and helplessness that the AI was feeling at the conflict. Tony himself remembers feeling that, when he was but a child; huddling on the bed surrounded by the duvet, but still able to hear the awful rows that Howard and Maria had. Then he looked at Kagome, and saw her expression, saw the pain she was trying to hide, and felt incredibly guilty. He opened his mouth to apologise. “Oh, shit, Kagome, I’m –” Her eyes shut, her face closing down. She turned away and walked to the lift, which opened in preparation of her entering. Just before she got in, she paused, and still facing away from him, began to speak

“Since I made the bond with Jarvis, code has been something I understood and could use. I went to see Maya before I found out you were injured and looked through the code of Extremis, changed a few things. Made it, with Jarvis’ help, less likely to force the person to spontaneously explode and added in a little bit of technopathy.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t make too many changes, otherwise you would have noticed, and I wanted you to live, if I could help it, because I knew that if you were seriously injured, you would adjust Extremis and use it on yourself.” He could almost _see_ her self-depreciating smile. “I’m glad you’re pleased with it.” She finished and stepped into the lift, which immediately closed.

“Jarvis, stop, bring her back.” There was a pause.

“No.” Tony gaped. What? Recognizing his creators’ expression through the cameras, the AI continued. “You have hurt her enough.” And that was all he would say on the matter, no matter what Tony said, did, or tried to bribe.

Kagome refused to think about his reaction to her link with Jarvis, refused to think about the words he had both said and the ones he had implied. She debated leaving, but decided against it – she’d give Tony time to come to terms with the facts that she’d left him with, and besides, she still had the Avengers and Loki. She wouldn’t leave them behind. She couldn’t.

Slowly, she became aware that she’d wandered to the roof and took a deep breath, relishing in the feeling of the cool breeze on her cheeks, and let it out slowly. She sat down on one of the many chairs up here and breathed slow and deep, falling into a meditative state. She wandered through her soul, smiling and touching the small strands of pink-purple light that floated near her. With some sorrow, she took note of the dark areas, noticed that some of them were merely grey, and some were close to being complete cracks. She sighed and touched one of the cracks, but refused to look at the memories that were associated with that particular crack.

She laughed as some of the strands of reiki formed and danced around each other, eventually forming a wolf. She crouched, one hand on the ‘ground’ and the other in the air towards the ‘wolf’ in an unthreatening gesture, knowing that it would have come to her anyway, but the motion reminded her of the life that died a long time ago and she appreciated the pleasant reminder. Just as the ‘wolf’ touched her hand with its snout and nuzzled it, its hackled rose, and it looked away from her, snarling before shattering into strands again and surrounding her protectively. Immediately knowing something was wrong, she rushed up to the surface, to reality, and recognised the danger surrounding her.

There was an unfamiliar energy in the air, but she couldn’t bring her reiki to the surface quickly enough before it struck. It forced her to feel tired enough that her eyelids were drooping, not that that lessened the alarm she felt any, and could feel the familiar tug of a teleportation spell before she finally fell into the darkness.


	22. This Is Not Good

“Sir, I think there’s something you should know.” Jarvis announced, sounding alarmed and confused. Tony looked at Jarvis’ main camera in the room immediately. “Kagome appears to have disappeared. 

“Get Loki to my penthouse, now. I'll meet him there." He hopped into the lab lift and frowned in thought as he felt his stomach drop due the speed of the lift travelling upwards. When the doors opened, it was to Loki standing in front of the sofas, an expectant look on his face.

"Why was I summoned here?" Tony's eyes narrowed.

"Kagome's disappeared." He replied, nodding his head and gesturing to the sofa. "Shall we? Jarvis, info, if you please."

"Of course, sir. Kagome retreated to the roof after your... argument," Tony winced, and refused to meet Loki's suddenly questioning gaze. "Where she sat down and appeared to be beginning to meditate. Forty minutes later she resurfaced, and her heart rate rose in what seemed to be some distress, before it, almost unnaturally, slowed down until she fell asleep. Then she vanished." Loki's eyes narrowed.

“Vanished?” Loki echoed, brows furrowing in thought.

“Yes, sir. That was ten minutes ago.” Tony frowned.

“Why didn’t you inform us then?” Jarvis seemed to be offended.

“I don’t know what the full extent of her powers are, and seeing as she was just in an argument with you, I had thought that she would shortly return.” Loki looked at Tony sharply.

“What did you _do_?” Tony winced, looking incredibly guilty.

* * *

 

Kagome woke up slowly, but had enough consciousness to remember to keep her eyes shut and her breathing the same to prevent anyone from realising she was awake. She first became aware of some kind of restriction on her wrists and ankles, and then of other presences in the room and at that realisation, she made a show of waking, fluttering her eyelids as if she was struggling to consciousness and groaned low in her throat. She tugged at her restraints and gasped, eyes shooting open as if she were truly shocked. There was a man in front of her, a hood over his face, covering a good portion of it and leaving visible a smile that at first sent chills down her spine before she ignored it and played into his expectations.

“Who are you?” She asked, voice trembling and expression desperate. The mystery man scoffed as she looked at her restraints again, and noticed that yes, they were metal shackles, but attached to a wooden pole in the middle of the room by rope. She wanted to scoff as well, but restrained herself. As if rope could detain her.

“Please, I know that’s an act.” Kagome dropped the scared act, and looked at him shrewdly, calculatingly. She noticed an electronic device in his hands and wondered what it was for, as there was certainly nothing attached to her that could be connected with it.

“Who are you and what do you want?” She coldly asked. The man’s grin widened.

“Ooh, the girl has spunk, I like that.” She got the impression he was mocking her and very nearly deadpanned. “See, I have ‘kidnapped’ you at the request of someone very special, and I believe you have been aquainted with them previously? But I have a plan, because Tony Stark and that god have, no doubt, begun searching for you. As a distraction, I asked a favour of General Ross.” Nothing so much as recognition flickered across her face. The man sighed. “General Ross? The man who hunted down and threatened Dr. Bruce Banner?” Now she narrowed her eyes, acknowledging the threat to one she considered a pack member. The man crowed delightedly. “Yes! I have enlisted him to once again actively hunt the man down, and do his very best to destroy him.” A low growl echoed the room, and Kagome was extremely close to letting out her reiki and seeing him explode into pieces, but refrained.

“He will never succeed.” The man shrugged.

“I know. The man is in Stark Tower – sorry, Avengers’ Tower -, which has extremely good defences. I’m fully expecting him to either die or be arrested.” Her eyes narrowed.

“And what are you planning to do with me now?”

“Sell you to your dear, concerned friends.” The sarcasm was heavy in his tone. “But I can’t talk now,” _Then what have you been doing?_ Kagome thought acidly. “I have to talk to my customers, so I’ll leave you here with a few guards.” He pushed a button on the device and quickly swept out of the door. She wondered what the device did, but her unasked question was answered when she heard a metal door open with a _thnnkk_. Then she heard a sound that would have made her smile if she weren’t suspicious about being watched. The _whuff_ of a wolf, several _different_ noises from an entire _pack_ of wolves, actually. She listened to them communicate with each other about the New Thing in the room. What was it? Was it a Two-leg? Or something Else? It didn’t smell like a Two-leg.

Kagome knew she had the limbs of a Two-leg, and yet she had the instincts and movement of a Wolf down to a T. She shifted slowly, a twinkle of remembrance from her time with Kouga’s wolves in her eyes, into a crouch – not offensive, not yet, just There.

 _New-like-Two-leg-Thing moves like Us._ They said, not through words, but through sounds and body language. There was no doubt they were surprised – the ones she could see had pranced back a little and were sniffing curiously at the air.

 _Like You – look like Two-leg, but think like Wolf._ She replied, watching in slight amusement and they backed away further as she communicated with them. They hadn’t known that It could Speak.

 _Why New-like-Two-leg-but-Wolf-Thing here?_ She moved in a sad-shrug movement.

 _Caught in Trap by Your Two-leg._ They growled warningly.

 _Not Our Two-leg. Trapped Us and gives Food not-enough._ Kagome’s face moved in an unconscious snarl at their treatment, and was mildly surprised when she realised that she had that none of the wolves had reacted negatively, but knew that they had understood why she had done it.

 _I give you Wind and Moon and Earth?_ She offered, cautiously. They looked at her, both suspicious and curious.

 _Why would you?_ With a regretful movement, she moved forward slightly.

 _I had Pack, but they Went. I remember Sun and Moon and Free and Running._ She offered a feral smile. _I remember the Hunt. Two-leg who Trapped You is being Hunted._ The Beta’s head moved curiously.

 _By who?_ She grinned, slow and threatening, showing most of her teeth. The wolves moved back slightly in response, their hackles rising slowly.

_Me and My Pack._

_You have no Pack. They Went._ She stopping smiling so threateningly and the wolves seemed more curious again.

 _I have New Pack. Two Good Alpha males._ Now they were even more confused than before.

 _One Alpha male only, not two._ She grinned delightedly.

 _They’re Mates. And I’m Theirs to._ They looked scandalised. She knew why – it wasn’t that she was two males’ mate, it was that two males were not only mates, but they could co-exist, as Alphas, without ripping each other apart. In the wild, wolves had male pack mates, ‘friends’, so to speak, that they would live and die for, but there was only one Alpha. Not two.

 _You Share?_ They asked, utterly confused, their stance upright, head cocked, and ears slightly back. She nodded, and backed it up with a happy yip. The wolves shook their heads and seemed to banish the thought.

 _I give you Wind and Moon and Earth and Running and the Hunt?_ She offered again, less cautious this time. They looked at her, and then at each other, before Alpha stepped forward. He was not the largest, but most definitely the strongest, with sleek and smooth fur, and sinewy muscle. His fur was coloured grey, with brick-red undertones, and there were a few patches of fur missing, scars on his fore-paws, side and head visible.

 _We take Wind and Moon and Running and the Hunt. Wolf-Pack-Two-leg make Us Free._ He barked, standing proudly, and Kagome stilled for a moment in shock and sentimentality as she realised what he had just deemed her. She had gained their agreement, they weren’t going to harm her, and she was ever so close to being Free.

All she had to do now was wait.

 

“So let me get this straight, after she gave you a gift and helped you save your life, you yelled at her, merely because she had fully known Jarvis' sentience before you." It wasn't even a question, and Loki's raised eyebrow said it all. Tony winced.

"Yes, okay. I was wrong and jealous and selfish, yes, can we please focus on what is important here? Namely, getting Kagome back?" He snapped back, more that fed up with the guilt-trips he kept on getting. He was more than aware that he'd done something wrong, but he'd spent enough time slapping himself over it, and didn't need anyone else to do as well, thank-you-very-much. Whatever Loki was going to say was interrupted by Jarvis announcing a call.

"Sir, there is a call for you, from an unknown number, but the call is coming from Latveria." Tony did a quick mental check and analysed the risk and likelihood that this meant that Doctor Doom was the one who kidnapped Kagome. Then he shrugged, might as well answer the call anyway.

"Put him on, Jarvis, and record it all." Without a response, Jarvis did so.

"Ah, Tony Stark! I was wondering if you would answer the call. You kept me waiting." Doom's voice was mildly chiding. "Would you mind terribly if we upgraded this to a video call? I find them so much easier to get along with." Wordlessly, Tony nodded, putting his hands in his pockets, and Loki moved out of sight just in time for Doctor Doom's masked face to appear on the wall. "Now, I believe that you have lost something," He said with a grin. He gestured behind him and moved a little to the side, far enough that they could look down and see the tied up Kagome surrounded by wolves in what seemed to be some kind of kill-pit.

She was chained only loosely, it seemed, and Kagome was well on her way to working on it, and both Loki and Tony knew that there was no chance that only some rope would hold her. They were more concerned about the wolves, but she was sitting down casually, and a wolf's head was in her lap, which she was stroking gently, face serene. Doom began speaking again, so Tony returned his attention to the verbal sparring, leaving Loki to very carefully watch Kagome. Without warning, her eyes lifted to look around - it seemed to be a practiced movement, so she must have done it often, most likely to look for cameras - and spotted Doom. Her mouth curled into a snarl, and by the way that the wolf in her lap perked his ears up, Loki would say that she was growling to go along with it. A feral light shone in her eyes, and _an entire pack of wolves_ looked up and joined her.

When she finally deigned to look past Doom to see what he was gesturing at, she stopped short. She, to the God's surprise, looked longingly at the screen, at _Tony_ , and then searched for what Loki could only assume to be himself. She looked disappointed, and then moved in this _way_ that was primal, and.... sad? The seven wolves – that he could see, there was no doubt that there was more – that were closest to her looked at her, ears lowered, and moved in a way that indicated sounds were being made, more specifically a whine. She seemed to reply, and they settled down, leaving her to avidly watch the screen. Feeling strangely guilty, Loki willed a strain of his magic to flutter next to Tony, and he knew she saw it when her eyes brightened, and a small smile touched her lips, before Doom moved to look around, gesturing again. Immediately, the wolves were sitting away from her, snarling in obvious threat, and she hid a smile as she stayed as still as possible. Loki smiled in amusement – all she was doing was giving Doom what he expected, but she seemed to be scheming something.

As soon as Doom turned away again, once again getting excited by his ‘evil’ monologue, the wolves were back to their original positions, and Kagome seemed to remember something.

“Get Bruce away from the Tower – Ross is coming.” She mimed. Loki blinked in surprise before he sent another strain of magic to flash next to Tony. She smiled in return.

Loki turned his attention back to the conversation and could have laughed. Tony had the bored look on his face, while Doom looked incredibly pleased with himself. The inventor closed his eyes, wondering if he could possibly fall asleep standing up, but another delighted crow from Doom made him open his eyes in defeat. He’d been sort-of listening to Doom for the last five minutes, and bored was a dangerous thing for him. ‘I mean, at first it was quite threatening, but right now, I would need a drink to get through this.’ He thought to himself.

“Okay,” He interrupted firmly, stopping Doom mid-rant, and crossing his arms. “I haven’t been listening to you, really.” At that, Doom seemed to deflate. “But when are you going to return Kagome?” Doom smiled sinisterly.

“Oh, you weren’t listening to that bit? She has some old friends who are deeply concerned about her, so I’ve agreed to fetch her, and sell her to them.” He smiled wider. “I believe something about a council?” Tony’s eyes widened and he saw Kagome’s head shoot up, eyes wide and body perfectly still. He saw her muscles ripple, holding back sudden violence, and her lips purse as she breathed out. Her eyes were dangerous and calculating, and her lips curled into a delighted smirk. Tony wasn’t too concerned, now that he’d seen her reaction, but he wanted to get her out of the situation nonetheless – especially seeing as he knew that the nightmares would pick up after this.

Oh, wait, Doom was gloating again, but then something he’d said struck home. “You _agreed_ to fetch her?” He calmly said, once again interrupting Doom. He sighed, frustrated, but answered.

“Yes. They asked, and I agreed, for a price.” He flinched as the inventor narrowed his eyes and scowled, before it turned into his ‘media-smile’, bright and charming.

“Let me assure you, Doctor Doom,” He began, mocking and dark. “If Kagome does not destroy the council, I can assure you that I will.” Jarvis cut the call, the screen going dark. He turned to Loki, who was watching him with mixed fury and desire, and rose one eyebrow, his ‘media-smile’ gone, replaced with a smirk. “Will you always find me getting angry at my enemies a turn on?” Loki stepped up to him and smiled at him.

“Always.” He said, the words feeling strangely heavy to Tony, like a promise. Then Loki’s expression became serious and he stepped away. “Kagome has informed me of another plan that Doom has. He’s employed Ross to capture Bruce – her advice was to get him away from the Tower.” Tony rolled his eyes.

“Of course, because what else could possibly happen?” Then he shrugged. “I’ll ask Bruce if he wants to do another one of his trips to help people in obscure countries.” Tony’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “We can send Steve with him – no really likes him. The Tower can defend against Ross without any trouble, and we can get him arrested. And this time I’ll make sure the charges stick.” Tony’s eyes blazed fire, and Loki couldn’t resist kissing him.

 

“You want me to what?” Bruce was bemused. Tony had just come up to him and asked him if he wanted to go on one of his ‘humanitarian trips’, as Tony put it.

“You can take Steve with you. He can be your pack mule, he’s strong enough for it.” Bruce shook his head, not in denial, but in amusement.

“What’s really going on, Tony?” Tony’s face, once the very picture of mischief and cheekiness, went deadly serious, leaving Bruce reeling slightly at the change.

“General Ross is coming to ‘collect’ you, and he’s bringing reinforcements. The Tower can hold up to anything, not including a missile, but I’m working on it. But Kagome thought it would be best if you went away for a bit, with a little bit of protection in case Ross works it out, which is unlikely, let me tell you, and you can do your helping-people thing.” Bruce shook his head again; amusement at the way Tony put the situation, and slight fear that Ross would succeed. He was also touched that Kagome would think of his safety while looking to his interests. He thought about it for a moment, and then nodded slowly.

“Okay then,” He quirked a smile. “I’ll start packing, shall I?”

All that was left was telling Steve. Tony restrained a groan as he made his way to the Captain’s room. He took a deep breath, and knocked. A distracted ‘come in’ got him to open the door. Steve sat on the bed, sketching something, Tony couldn’t see from his position, but he looked up at Tony when he came in, and surprise was evident on his face. Not that Tony was surprised to see that, Tony had not gone out of his way to talk to Steve since he’d shown him around the Tower when he first moved in. They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Steve broke it.

“Was there something you wanted…?” He asked uncertainly. Tony very carefully didn’t smirk.

“I need you to go with Bruce on a trip. General Ross is coming to capture him and we can’t allow it. He’s going to some obscure country to help others and give free medical care, I’ve supplied him with the equipment and cash – all we need is you to… watch over him. Make sure he’s safe.” Steve nodded, and stood.

“When are we leaving?” Tony put one of his hands in his pocket, and gestured vaguely with the other.

“It’s not a definite thing, Bruce is packing now, but I still have to organise the jet, and make sure no one will know that it has left the airport. So…” Tony did a quick calculation, “I think it should be in the early hours of tomorrow morning, probably around three.” Steve nodded again. Tony, rather inappropriately, had the image of Steve as a bobble-head or a nodding dog and, with valiant effort, managed to abstain from laughing. Somehow.

“I’ll start packing then.” Tony took the hint, and began to leave, but couldn’t resist having the final word.

“Pack light!”


	23. I Have Been Waiting For This For A Long Time

Kagome, since hearing that she was going to be given to the WSC, had been delightedly scheming and planning for her revenge. Sure, she could just escape from the ineffective bindings that kept her captive and decide to ignore what the WSC had done to her for more than seventy years, but then she thought about exactly what she had gone through, and probably the amount of sanity and forgiveness she was capable of. Her conscience had all but vanished, so that wasn’t a problem, so the only thing right now that could pose a problem would be how Tony and Loki would react, but she didn’t think that they would protest, and she probably wouldn’t have listened to them anyway. She snorted to herself. They would probably enjoy it more than anything else.

The wolves were more than ready for their freedom, and she had every intention of fulfilling her promise, but she knew how the phrase ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’ was totally and utterly true. But then, when Kagome made a promise, she damn well kept it, even if it cost her her life, no matter how small that promise was.

Which, of course, led her on to the thought that she still had to go to Asgard and chew out this Odin person. He can be a God all he likes, but _no one_ messes with what’s hers. ‘ _But,_ ’ she thought, ‘ _I would have to go with Loki, and he still has another eighty or so years here, and I don’t really want to go with Thor. His expression won’t be nearly so satisfying._ ’

“Are you ready to see your guests?” Doom’s chuckling voice echoed from above her. She exhaled slowly, and smirked as she looked up.

“Yes.” And she wasn’t quite prepared for them to appear, all five of them, immediately, lining up around the edge of the pit. Had it been that long that they were able to all come here? In the back of her mind, she marvelled that they were _here_ with Doctor Doom, an apparently known ‘villain’. What, did they think he’d keep them safe? Did that actually think that mere rope could hold her? She began to laugh, almost hysterically, but most certainly not sanely. The two women and four men looked disconcerted by her laughter, and she noticed that Doom was no longer grinning, watching her, but had paled and was subtly moving away from the World Security Council. Good man.

“Kagome Higurashi, we are once again taking you into custody because we have decided that having you out in the world is too dangerous.” The woman with blond hair in a pony-tail said. Kagome smiled serenely.

“Of course.” She stood slowly, tugging and effortlessly ripping the ropes keeping her in place, and savoured the alarmed looks that action received. Still smiling, she watched their faces as the wolves all looked up at them and crouched, ready to pounce. Of course, none of them were going to be able to jump that high, but the effect was great. Her smile turned dark and spiteful, and she allowed her reiki to rise from her like steam, just barely visible. Oh, and she knew they saw it when their eyes widened and they backed away a little. She calmly removed the iron shackles and let them drop to the floor. “Shall we go?” The council all looked to Doom, but he shrugged.

“I don’t know what you’re messing with, but I don’t want any part in it.” Doom said, sounding quite worried.

“You dare –” One of the men started.

“He does.” Kagome interrupted firmly, voice more powerful than it ever had been when talking to them. “He is not a fool. I am the closest thing humanity will ever have to the Gods, due to the power granted to me, and I will live for eternity as punishment.” She smiled viciously. She knelt, reached out with her arms, and drew Beta to her for a moment and nuzzled at the wolves’ muzzle. _I will return._ They sensed the Hunt in her and howled in celebration and excitement. She looked back up at the WSC plus Doom as she stood with the chorus of the wolves and smiled again. “Shall I come up?” She jumped and delicately landed between Doom and the WSC. Firm in her belief that Doom meant her no harm, especially as he knew that she wasn’t a creature to be messed with, she turned her back to him and put her full attention on the WSC.

“Stand down, Miss Higurashi.” One of them, a grey-haired, overweight man, spoke. She laughed harshly.

“I haven't done anything. That, my dears, is your nervousness talking because _you know_ you’ve fucked with something you shouldn’t have and now it’s come to bite you in your self-important arses.” She blinked, her snarled rant stopping. “Oh my, Jarvis was right. Tony _has_ been an influence on me. Just _look_ at my language.” With a tut she shook her head. “Loki won’t be pleased.” When she looked once again to the WSC, they looked a mixture of scared and arrogant. “Where is your back up?” They looked at each other and then back at her silently. Growling impatiently, she tried again. “Where is your back-up? I refuse to think I was tortured for over seventy years by idiots that don’t bring back up to transport me back to whatever hell-hole you have waiting for me. I don’t think my pride would recover.” A mocking smile rose on her lips. "Oh, I see. You thought I would be _so crippled_ by your previous treatment that I wouldn't resist as I was brought in for a second time. Doom would be able to control me easily - I would be so terrified, I would be compliant." An invisible wind picked up and blew in her hair as a purple-pink short-sword, very similar in style to a hachiwara, form in her right hand, the blade less than seventeen inches, with a smaller blade coming from the blade at the hilt, wavy and the point sharper than the main blade. "How _wrong_ you were." A feral grin was on her lips and she stalked forward, relishing in the worried backing away that gave away that the council knew they had pushed too far and couldn't save themselves.

One of them rushed her, hoping to catch her off balance, but she merely swiped her blade across his neck, forcing him to the side and to the floor. She grinned as he only had time for a strangled groan before starting to bleed out - her blade had sliced clean through his vocal chords. She looked at the other four members remaining and once again smiled serenely. She didn’t speak as the members drew out hand guns – most likely to be their last line of defence. Suddenly, she was a blur to Doom as she moved and ran across the line of them… and one by one, surprise on their faces, they fell, one of them in half, another in pieces, the third by beheading, and the final one by the hachiwara in the stomach. Doom half felt pity for them – and yet he knew that she could have made them suffer. She was certainly powerful enough – and he cut his thoughts off as he took note of her dark expression as she stared at the slowly cooling bodies and sighed.

“And how am I supposed to get the stains out of my floor?” Coming back to herself, Kagome snorted.

“This is hardly carpet.” She replied cheekily. Nonetheless, she lifted a hand, which began to glow with a purple-pink light and with an elevating gesture, the remains were purified with such force and energy that there wasn’t even a molecule left. “There. Happy?” After a short pause, Doom nodded.

“What do you plan now?” A wicked grin grew on Kagome’s lips.

“Do you have a phone I could borrow?” Rolling his eyes, Doom nodded.

“Obviously.”

 

Tony stood in the middle of his lab, holograms all around him, and to Loki, it seemed other-worldly. The inventor was talking to Jarvis, a fast-paced jumble of technological talk. Tony himself knew very well that he could talk to Jarvis through Extremis, but he knew that Loki was watching him, almost fascinated, and that he liked to hear Jarvis and him interacting.

“Jarvis, do we have ammunitions up-to-date in the Tower? And where are my legal team in getting some dirt and leverage on Ross?”

“Ammunitions are up-to-date, Sir, and the legal teams are four hours from finishing ‘dishing up the dirt’, as you put it.” A faint smile lifted up the corners of Tony’s lips.

“Careful of that sass, J.” A sound that could have been mistaken for a metallic snort was made.

“I don’t understand, Sir. I have no sass.” The AI dryly replied. Tony didn’t bother to respond to that, instead shaking his head.

“Well, see if you can lend the legal team something to… help them along.” Tony suggested, and a ding was his reply as Jarvis momentarily focused his attention in that. A moment of swiping and selecting and moving files from one screen to another, and Jarvis was back, and this time with information.

“Sir, the legal team may now finish in two hours, and there is a video call once again from Doctor Doom.” With a roll of his eyes, Tony nodded for Jarvis to put the call through and was then thoroughly surprised as Kagome appeared on the screen in front of him, smiling with Doom behind her. The smile was not a nice one – bloodthirsty and cruel. Tony groaned, half-ignoring Loki coming up behind him.

“God, you look sexy.” He looked a bit closer. “Is that _blood_ on your cheek?” He asked, only to be shocked as Kagome looked confused for a moment as a hand rose, and swiped it off her cheek, leaving a smudged stain. She looked down at it, before a smirk curled her lips and she licked it off her fingers, vicious delight lighting up her eyes.

“It is.” She murmured. “The blood of those I have killed is delicious.” Then her eyes rested on Loki, who had a similar expression to Tony: enraptured and curious. She smiled a bit more genuinely at them both. “Loki,” She greeted. “It’s nice to see you again.” Loki smiled bemusedly.

“It has been two days since we saw each other last.” Kagome didn’t look surprised at the news.

“Oh? Much has happened.” She snapped her fingers. “I need to get back to the Tower. Some very… life-changing events have happened – not only for myself. I need to speak to you two and to Nick Fury. As soon as possible.” Tony nodded and reached over to a screen to the left of the screen Kagome was on.

“My private jet will be at your location in two hours and will bring you here. From there, we can go to the Helicarrier. Bruce is out of the country and Rogers has gone with him, and the minimal threat that Ross posed is being swiftly neutralised.” Kagome nodded.

“Doom here is an ally, so,” Kagome gave an exaggerated pout and shook her finger at them. “No attacking him. He knows better than to mess with me.” She winked. Tony and Loki blinked. Okay then. She waved her fingers at them. “Toodle loo.” The call ended, leaving Tony and Loki blinking.

“Did we just gain an ally… for free?” Tony asked haltingly. Loki nodded and then sent Tony a grin.

“Get back to work, mortal.” Tony rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah.”


	24. Back Off!

Kagome looked up at Doom, eyebrow raised and smirk on her face. Doom looked back at her warily. “What does it take for me to get a wash around here?” Rolling his eyes at her playful attitude, he gestured grandly.

“Right this way, Milady.” Doom waited until she had passed, and then followed, walking to catch up until he was next to her. “What magic do you possess?”

"It's spiritual energy, called reiki. It comes from my soul and requires an awful lot of discipline to master and wield." Kagome smirked hollowly. "Luckily, I've had plenty of time to practice." Doom nodded, and looking at Kagome's expression, said no more on the subject. In fact, he said nothing at all until Tony's jet came to collect her. In that time, Kagome had cleaned herself up and gone back to the wolves, who were obviously overjoyed to see her, coming up to her with tails wagging and yips coming constantly from them, before going back to Doom. Doom walked Kagome to the entrance of his house, where they could clearly see the jet waiting for her.

Then he said, "We will have to meet again." Kagome smiled, a mild threat.

"Indeed, we will. I trust that you will cause no trouble that will cause me to come earlier than expected?" At his mild protesting look, she laughed and rose one hand in a signal to stop. "I could care less about the minor and even major crimes - merely that you stay away from what is very clearly mine." She smiled widely, showing off her teeth. "Furthermore, release the wolves, they have done nothing to you and they aren't a very good scare tactic against one such as myself." Doom grinned, slightly nervous.

"Sure." Kagome smiled brightly and happily before turning and walking away, quickly making her way to the waiting jet. She hopped aboard, greeting the pilot - or expecting to greet the pilot, only to find there was none.

"Welcome aboard, Kagome." Jarvis greeted, sounding more than pleased to see her. "Sir is in the bedroom with Loki." Smiling fondly, Kagome thanked him.

"It's good to be back, J. How are things at the Tower?" She asked as she made her way to the bedroom.

"Dr Banner has decided to take a vacation and Captain Rodgers has accompanied him. Miss Romanov and Mr Barton are currently in the common area, watching Breaking Bad." Rolling her eyes at the habits of the assassins, she opened the door to the bedroom and burst out laughing. "Oh my Gods." She got out. "Jarvis, how long -?"

"Half and hour." Jarvis replied, sounding utterly amused. Sitting perpendicular to each other, Loki and Tony were both laying on their sides on the bed - which was covered in rose petals - in presumably provocative poses, with roses in their mouths. Kagome supposed they landed, but didn't know when she'd come through the door, so just settled themselves like that in anticipation. Tony grinned, more than happy to see that she wasn't holding a grudge. Oh, but maybe she still had some very hurt feelings, if that repressed hurt look that was directed at him was anything to go by. He got up slowly, carefully, and she watched warily as he approached her.

"I'm sorry. For what I said." Kagome gave him a small smile and shrugged.

"It's fine. I probably should have told you as soon as I found out." Tony reached out for her hand, and she gave it, rolling her eyes slightly, though she was smiling. He gave the back of her hand a kiss, smiling up at her. Loki groaned playfully.

“Where’s mine?” He complained, and was thoroughly surprised when both of them turned to him, jumped onto the bed, and smothered his face in kisses.

 

The flight to the Tower was uneventful, depending on whether one considers extensive kissing uneventful. The jet landed near the roof, just a couple of levels lower in the area specifically designed for it, the wings folding in on themselves and seemingly hovering into place. Once there, there was a short discussion about whether or not to physically go to the Helicarrier or to do a video call. In the end, they decided to relax on the sofa and do a video call. However, Kagome insisted that Tony and Loki be out of sight for the length of the call.

With the look on Kagome's face bordering on feral glee, they sat a good four feet from her.

“Jarvis, Director Fury, if you please.” She requested politely, moving to sit up straight and cross her legs.

“Of course, Kagome.” A screen lowered from the ceiling, and flickered on. Kagome waited patiently for Fury to answer. When his face did appear, it was lined with wariness and his familiar scowl.

“What is it?” Fury demanded, no less uneasy for only seeing Kagome, looking professional – even as he spotted a few flecks of blood on her t-shirt.

“I fear I have inconvenienced you, Director,” She started smoothly, “as you now have to pick out five new members for your World Security Council.” Fury narrowed his eyes.

“And why would I be needing to do that?” Kagome grinned widely and unapologetically.

“Because they attempted to recapture me by employing Victor Von Doom, and hoped that he had enough power to keep me compliant. They had thought that, when they approached my cell, I would be crippled with fear, and thus wouldn't resist going with them.” She sneered. “I, of course, would not allow myself to be captured once again. I had planned my revenge to something more elaborate, but, alas, it instead came to me on a silver platter. I killed them with the exception of dear Victor, who had realised vaguely what he was dealing with and backed off – and I do believe that you could get a copy of the surveillance footage off of Doom if you asked nicely.” Kagome didn't need to look at Tony and Loki to know that they had looked at each other with delight, and to know that Tony had picked up a tablet to email a certain man to request that he be sent the footage of her exacting her revenge. Tony knew he could have done it in his head, but he had promised himself that he wouldn't use his technopathy unless he was alone, was in extenuating circumstances, or wanted to play a prank on someone (which he had already done three times – and he would be the first person to tell you that Clint's face upon receiving a text from Tony whilst the inventor was still in the room and nowhere near his phone was hilarious). Fury scowled.

“I can't say I'm surprised that you killed them, at least.” Kagome smiled sweetly.

“No, you can't.”

Repressing a shudder, Fury added, “Getting a new council would be difficult, but the government needs to know that they have some way to control, or at least advise, us, by making executive decisions.” He looked at her shrewdly. “Would you like to be a part of this council? The government would choose the over three or four members, but having you there – an inside contact and someone with morals – would be extremely helpful.” Kagome frowned thoughtfully and finally relaxed her posture, leaning back against the sofa.

“Are you absolutely sure? My morals are not the best, though my experiences have left me with some things that I definitely wouldn’t allow – such as experimentation.” She added darkly, “I will decide things for the greater good, not based on the possible death figures. Though I do suppose that the Avengers would have that covered…” Finally, after contemplating in her head, she nodded. “Fine, I’ll be a part of this new council – and,” She realized suddenly, “that is how it should be. I eradicated them, therefore I take their place.” _Just as if I’d killed an Alpha, the pack is then mine._ Fury nodded.

“Very well, I’ll make the arrangements. Be sure to keep yourself free, we’ll be in contact with you soon.” He disappeared, and Kagome turned to Tony and Loki.

“How is everything with Ross?” Tony grinned proudly.

“Soon to be in prison for his crimes against basic human rights, not to mention stalking. Jarvis and my legal team have found some very interesting cases of money laundering and some evidence that he has provided information to national enemies.” Tony’s eyes lit up with glee. “He may even be given the death penalty.” Kagome nodded, pleased.

“Then we should get Dr Banner back for whatever country he went to, and Rodgers, and have a little celebration.” Having a sudden thought, she continued, “Where are Clint, Natasha and Thor?”

“Clint’s on a mission, Natasha is on her floor, and Thor is visiting his lady love.” Tony answered. Kagome nodded and walked towards the two.

“I’m going to go and talk to the little Spider.” Loki hid a smile, sensing that the name was no longer the insult it used to be. She kissed them both on the cheek and walked away. “Enjoy the video, boys.” Shocked, they both looked at the laptop, noting a new email from Victor Von Doom. They looked back at her retreating form as she entered the lift and blew a kiss at them both as the doors closed.

Kagome smirked, knowing that the video would start from the very moment the call between Doom and Tony had finished.

“Kagome, would you like me to inform Ms Romanov that you are on your way?” Jarvis asked.

“Please, J. How have you been?”

“Well, and I do believe that Sir is planning to expand my memory space.” Kagome shook her head fondly.

“As if _you_ need more memory space, J. Don’t you already have 35 terabytes?” Jarvis paused. 

“I wouldn’t know.” Kagome laughed.

“You liar! I bet you told Tony that you had less than half of that space free, and he totally panicked because the firewall could need more than that amount of space to work.” Jarvis’ silence told on a more guilty air.

“That may have happened.” Kagome laughed again as the lift stopped and the doors opened.

 

Natasha was sitting in a high-backed armchair, legs curled on the seat, and was reading a book before the ding of the lift alerted her to the arrival of Kagome. She looked up, surprised to hear her laughing as the doors opened and she stepped out. Natasha closed her book, looking at the miko expectantly, unsure as to what she wanted enough to come to her directly.

“Hello, Natasha, how are you?” Kagome sighed as she watched the assassin start and look unsure at the question. She walked forward, maintaining eye contact and noting the increasing wariness the closer she came, and crouched in front of the chair, purposefully crouching in such a way that it would render defending herself difficult. Natasha’s eyes widened. Kagome reached out for her hand slowly, making sure that the palm was facing the ceiling, but the assassin pulled it back, body tensing. Kagome waited there, experienced enough with wild wolves to know what to do.

Slowly, Natasha let her hand fall back into her lap, and then, eyeing Kagome warily, inched it closer to Kagome’s own hand that was still outstretched. Natasha kept her palm down though, more than aware that if Kagome wanted, she could slit her wrists with any sharp weapon, which, as she had seen before, Kagome could summon through her strange power.

Kagome inhaled, and was shocked to find that there was a scent of fear coming from the woman in front of her. She sighed, knowing that that was her fault and she shouldn’t be surprised.

“I’m sorry,” She said, with a small, gentle smile, “I didn’t really make a good first impression, and then I continued to treat you as a threat. If possible, I’d like to be your friend.” Then she quietened and resumed waiting. Natasha watched her carefully before reaching out and holding Kagome’s hand. Kagome’s hand tightened momentarily before turning the hand over and rubbing her thumb over the assassins wrist, gently scent-marking her. Letting go of her wrist, Kagome got up and bent closer to her, before quickly straightening and huffing out a laugh. “My apologies. I forget that some people don’t understand scent-marking.”

“Was that what you were doing?” Kagome nodded. “What does that do?” Kagome smiled wryly and sat down on a nearby chair.

“How much do you know about wolves and wild dogs?” Natasha frowned thoughtfully.

“Not much. That wasn't really something I was interested in. How does it relate to you?” Kagome smiled softly.

“During the first hundred and fifty years of my life, I was lived and interacted with a species that has the very same instincts as wolves and wild dogs.” She shrugged. “It's had an effect. Due to the way my powers have developed, I fitted in fine with their heightened senses, and learned how to communicate non-verbally with them without offending them.” Chuckling, she added, “It took time.”

Natasha looked curious. “So did you develop the same habits.” Kagome agreed with a considering twisting of her head.

“Yes, to an extent. I believe you've already seen how much so in regards to protection and territory.” The assassin nodded with a small smile. “I have some pack instincts as well, such as scent-marking those who are in it depending on my attachment to them, which directly correlates to their position in the pack.” Kagome shrugged sheepishly. “Until now, if you accept, it's just been Loki, Tony and I. Before that, just me.” Her eyes darkened, unpleasent memories coming forth.

“What is it that I'm accepting?” Kagome, brought out of her thoughts, blinked a bit dazedly.

“Why, to become a part of my pack, of course.” Natasha gaped.

“Really? Why?” Kagome looked away for a moment.

“I haven't really been fair to you. Even after you made the vow and I made it binding, I still treated you like a threat.” She gave a slight smile. “You and your partner both have the option to join the pack. Protection guarantees included.” She added jokingly. Natasha nodded.

“Can I speak to Clint about this?” Kagome stood and nodded.

“Of course – I haven't actually yet told him about my offer, so tell him as well. Feel free to ask Jarvis about his research into the pack behaviour and his observations on my own behaviour.” When Natasha nodded in understanding, Kagome walked back to the elevator. The miko waved to the assassin as the doors closed and took Kagome back up to Tony's penthouse, while Natasha continued on with her book.


	25. The Great Beginning

When Steve and Bruce returned, it was to a debate between Loki and Kagome, trying to decide what kind of magic had easier access. There were very technical terms and Tony, as it happened was referee. Natasha was content to watch amusedly from the sofa. Bruce cracked a grin and enjoyed the sensation of returning _home_.

“I see not much has changed since we left a week ago.” The four inhabitants of the room turned in unison to Steve and Bruce. They had already put their bags down in their rooms and made their way to the Avengers’ common room after enquiring Jarvis where everyone was. Also according to Jarvis, Clint was on a covert mission, and it wasn’t certain when he would return, due to the delicate nature of it. Bruce was sure that the AI had also looked through SHIELDs files. Kagome and Tony beamed at him, and Natasha and Loki offering him a small smile and a nod.

“Not really,” Tony shrugged and smiled wryly. “Have a nice vacation?” Bruce nodded.

“Yeah, didn’t really realize I needed it, even with the threat of Ross. Helped quite a few people, didn’t we, Steve?” He looked behind him, up at the super soldier who nodded. Kagome blinked.

“Oh yes, I’ve been meaning to speak to you Steve.” She grinned, and Tony and Loki exchanged cautious looks. What was she planning? “Would you mind…?”  Steve, utterly confused, nodded slowly and went back into the elevator, followed closely by Kagome.

“Where will you be going?” Jarvis questioned. Kagome shrugged, and turned to Steve.

“Where do you feel comfortable?” Steve shrugged, and would have said his floor, but felt like going outside.

“The roof is fine.” The doors closed and they felt the false cheerful demeanor fall off, leaving a tense atmosphere.

“So how was the holiday for you?” Kagome asked. Steve's expression twisted.

“I'm not sure I was actually doing anything useful apart from being someone for Dr. Banner to talk to.” Kagome shrugged, now.

“I'm sure that if General Ross had discovered where Bruce had gone, you would have been instrumental in protecting him and getting you both away.” Steve scoffed.

“I know why Tony sent me with Bruce.” His voice was bitter. “He doesn't like me and the others could really care less of what I do so long as I'm not dead or dying and can still fight with the Avengers.” She tilted her head in concession. She herself might not really like the man, merely on principle, but she wasn't going to start lying to him. Thinking back, save from making it clear that she wasn't just going to start talking about parts of her past, she'd never lied to any of them. In fact, she'd been startlingly truthful, more-so than any other time she'd been around humans.

The lift chimed to let them know that they were at the roof, and they both stepped out and lent of the hip-high wall surrounding the roof, looking out over the Manhattan skyline.

“What you saying is true, I'm not going to deny it. That's not fair to you, but you have to understand, out of everyone on this team, you are not only the youngest, but also the most well-adjusted. You may have been depressed, yes, and you may have led several missions in the defeat of Red Skull.” She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. “But everyone else has hit a very deep pit and seen into the deepest abyss of the world, some several times, including Natasha and Loki due to their long lives. I'm pretty sure that Tony has also seen that pretty deep abyss more than once.” She shrugged. “I'm pretty sure that the only one on the team with the exception of you that hasn't look quite so deep is Thor, but then he has the age and experience that you do not.” Kagome turned towards him fully then, making sure he did the same. “You're only just twenty, and for all you've gone through, you're still just a kid.” She waved his oncoming protest away irritably. “Yes, yes, you're technically not, you've been through war, but that was _war_. War is a bunch of people killing other people for stupid reasons. It was, in it's own way, necessary. Tony,Loki, Natasha, me, and even Bruce, have killed in situations completely different.” Steve's brow furrowed.

“How are they different?” Kagome sighed at his naivety.

“Politics, revenge, escape, anger, just because we can, because they deserve it, because we can't control ourselves when loved one's are hurt, because...” Steve's face grew more horrified as the list went on, so Kagome trailed off, her own expression becoming angry. “What? You never killed because someone hurt or killed your own? Because you were so desperate to get away, to escape from somewhere you were willing to do whatever it took to do so?” He reluctantly nodded.

“I have.” Kagome exhaled slowly and nodded.

“So do you get it? You come to us, the...” She fumbled for a moment, trying to find the right words, “damaged, the morally ambiguous, with your optimism, your naivety and your morals. We don't get how you can't understand what we went through to have the personalities that we do. It's difficult because you _judge us_ for going though what we did and how we turned out to survive.” She studied his expression for a moment before asking, “Is any of this making sense to you?” He was quiet for several minutes and Kagome took the time to study the late afternoon sun and how the city looked when it was bathed in it. Finally, he drew in a sharp breath.

“Yeah, I can understand it. It'll take some time to adjust to it, but I'll learn.” Kagome smiled brightly at him.

“That's all we can ask.” There was peace for a moment before Steve spoke up again.

“So what did you do while Dr. Banner and I were gone?”

“Oh, was kidnapped by Doctor Doom, killed the World Security Council, pretty much rescued myself from Doom's 'evil' clutches, got nominated as one of the future members of the WSC, defeated General Ross before he even got the chance to come to the Tower, and offered Natasha and Clint into our Pack (and by that I mean that the only members were so far Tony, Loki, and I).” She stated casually, totally deadpan. Steve gaped at her for a moment before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. She waited a beat and then giggled along with him.

When he finally got the laughter under control, he breathlessly questioned, “That's all true, isn't it?” Mock-insulted, Kagome lifted a hand to her chest, covering her heart.

“You wound me with your doubts.”

 

When the two came back down from the roof, it was way past sunset, and the tension that had been between the two for the past month or so, if they weren't including that slight tension from before she made it incredibly obvious that she was extremely protective of Tony and Loki, was gone. So, her good mood permeating the air around her, Kagome walked over to Tony and Loki, who were sitting on the sofa - waiting for her apparently -, with a skip in her step.

“I'll see you tomorrow, Steve.” She called back over her shoulder as  she reached her lovers-to-be. The captain chuckled.

“Of course.” He called back, the lift doors closing just slow enough that he could see her kissing first Loki, and then Tony before pulling them up from the sofa. He blushed bright red and decided it was none of his business, part of this new thing he was trying, called not judging. Not to mention, the less he knew of Tony Stark's and Loki's sex lives the better. He let the lift doors shut, taking him back to his floor.

Meanwhile, Kagome had pulled Tony and Loki to their bedroom. A smirk curling at her lips, she said, “My reiki take less time to train and master.” Loki rolled his eyes as Tony huffed a laugh.

“You two are never going to stop, are you?” They reached the bedroom and stood for a moment, wondering what they were going to do first: change for bed, shower, or just relax in one of the armchairs. “You'll just carry on, long after I'm gone.” Kagome and Loki both stilled. Then they drew him slowly to the bed, looking deathly serious.

Cracking a self-depreciating smile, Kagome said, “I didn't ask, before, if you wanted to live longer than your human life span allowed.” She resolutely did not look at Tony. “I adjusted the formula for Extremis a bit more than I told you.” Cautiously, Tony nodded his head, indicating her to carry on. “I extended your life by about five centuries. However, it's possible I could, by my own power, extend it beyond that.” She turned dark eyes to him and took in his rather open expression, before continuing. “When my reiki examined your arc reactor, it also looked at your body. I could heal everything, including your liver,” She deadpanned for a moment. “and I could even go so far as to technically freeze your aging as it is.” Tony frowned for a moment.

“So your saying that I could technically live forever?” Kagome laughed, seeming surprised at herself for doing so.

“Essentially, yes.” Loki said from where he was leaning against one of the bedposts. “With Kagome helping you along, you might even be able to outlive me.” He joked with a chuckle. Shaking her head, Kagome sent him a teasing smile.

“No, according to mythology your supposed to set off Ragnarok.” They all laughed. When they calmed down, Tony lay back on the bed, leaving Kagome and Loki looking at him with amusement.

“More time with you two then.” He sighed. Kagome laughed softly.

“I wouldn't mind being a lover to the both of you, given time.” Smiling softly, Loki walked around to the other side of the bed, sat on it and leaned over to her, engaging her lips in a kiss with ease. Tony smiled and looked over at them, pleased with the lack of tension in her frame.

“Good,” He murmured, pretty sure that they weren't really listening, but wanting to say it anyway. “Neither would we.” Then, when Kagome pulled away from Loki, gasping for air, he casually grasped the wrist closest to him and drew her down to him, not even bothering with dominating her mouth this time, just wanting a gentle exploration.

She shuddered suddenly and pulled back from the kiss, again panting, but not moving up any higher from him. Tony angled his head slightly and found out why. Loki, with sheer genius, had pushed up Kagome's top to her ribs and was pressing slow kissed to her back and hips. Kagome's eyes were dark, her pupil nearly entirely encompassing her iris, and half-lidded. She also didn't seem like she was going to be protesting anytime soon, so Tony began pressing his own kisses to her jaw, slowly moving down to her neck, introducing his teeth and tongue every now and then, coaxing a soft moan out of her.

Together, the two men eased her onto her side and then back, both of them surprised at the lack of resistance, and even the natural sensuality in her. Tentatively, Loki fingered the shirt, debating whether or not to remove it, what Kagome's limits were, especially for tonight. When she realised what he wanted, Kagome batted Tony away momentarily and removed it herself, and before they even asked, removed her bra. Smirking, she gestured to the two in front of her.

“Personally, I don't think it's fair that I'm halfway to undressed, and you two aren't matching that.” She teased, eyebrow raised. They stared at her for a moment before taking off their shirts as well. She crawled forward, and after a moment of debating, sat herself firmly in Loki's lap. Just brushing her lips with his, she murmured, “I wonder how many High Priestesses get the opportunity to love their God.” Groaning, Loki pressed forward, locking his lips with hers. Tony laughed, and busied himself with stroking the soft planes of Kagome's back, now and again moving them around to her stomach and gently rubbing the skin underneath her breasts.

“Are we counting the Greek Pantheon? In that case, I would say quite a few, depending on which God you were devoted to.” Kagome broke away and laughed.

“I suppose that's true.” Tony took the opportunity to gently grasp the back of her neck and draw her to him once again, giving Loki the chance to explore her torso. Sighing in contentment and pleasure, Kagome knew everything would be fine. Sure there would be fights, misunderstandings, danger, and hurt. But following that, there would be understanding, safety, and love.

Wickedly biting at Tony's lip and beginning to run her hand down Loki's chest, she silently added on sex to that list, eventually.


	26. Epilogue

Kagome sighed happily as she leaned against the rocky ledge of the hot spring with her eyes closed, quite content with her life. It was so much easier to stay sane when she had two other people to keep her company, rather than being alone. When she looked inward before, there were open wounds and cracks in her soul, now they were slowly healing. It would probably be a good few centuries before they healed fully, but the important thing was that the wounds she had were no longer seeping.

 _Speaking of company,_ she thought, jumping slightly as a hand crept up her thigh, her lips curling.

The past eighty years had been the most happiest she'd had since the pack with Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Shippou. Natasha and Clint had accepted her offer to join the Pack two days after the archer had come back from his mission. Following quickly was Bruce and Thor. They were both overjoyed to have been offered the place, though they expressed in different ways. Steve... took a while. Though he and Kagome had dissipated most of the tension between them, the tension between Steve and Tony took another fourteen months to go. And when it went, it did not go quietly. A long, loud three-week argument had come before the ease of tension, during which, the tension was at an all-time high, with Kagome and Loki struggling between laughing at them both, and trying to calm Tony down. But eventually, he too was accepted into the pack.

However, half the pack was human and, as such, would die before long.

Clint met his end soon after a particularly brutal battle with the Skrulls. He was fatally injured during the fight, leading to Natasha keeping the remaining Skrulls off his body. Kagome was quick in getting to him, but even the fastest healing she could do wouldn't have helped. Humans can't survive with poisoned blood and a dead liver. They couldn't even get a transplant as the poison would destroy that one too. Instead, Kagome healed him enough that Natasha and the rest of the Avengers could say goodbye.

Natasha wasn't the same after that. More ruthless and cold than usual, she, for several years, went on a killing spree of every person that had murdered, raped, or caused the death of many people, even if they didn't do it in person. Impressed and concerned, Kagome, who by this point was one of three still-surviving members of the WSC, offered her a special place in SHIELD, where she had a home to come back to and a regular supply of assignments. It was also an opportunity for Kagome to reign her back in and help her get over the death of Clint. In a way, she understood. Natasha, at about 160 years old, was used to death, but not of those she was close to, especially since she'd never had any close relationships until Clint hadn't killed her and instead had introduced her to SHIELD. Kagome was the same, except she had her human friends dying early on in her life. It took her a very long time to get over that. It took quite a while to overcome Clint's death.

Bruce was next. No one was expecting it – he hadn't aged visibly, like Steve, so everyone attributed it to the serum that he'd taken, no matter the end result. He'd become slower, more placid, and everyone thought it was the better control over his transformations and the knowledge that he was home and could relax. Nope. Bruce knew all along, as they'd realised in hindsight. A few days before he died, he told the Avengers that he was grateful for their friendship and companionship, and that having a home had really meant something to him. They'd all laughed, saying no thanks were necessary, and why was he so somber?

He died in his sleep three days later. Tony was devastated, inconsolable for days, weeks. Kagome was also quite upset, leaving Loki trying to comfort them both, sullen as he was. Thor and Natasha were quieter than usual and Steve had locked himself in his room. Kagome, after several days, got fed up with the sadness and demanded to have a party. That in no way pleased Tony, and he made it loudly known, though afterwards he thanked her quietly in the darkness of their bedroom.

Steve had left them very soon after Bruce's death, with Natasha still intermittently going on killing sprees and Thor off in Asgard more often than not, saying that he wanted to do some charity work. Tony set up another identity for him, as Steve’s face was no longer as well-known as it used to be thirty years before. Less than a decade after that request, Steve moved permanently out of the Tower, and was starting to show some aging. Tony gave him a few funds – as much as the Captain was willing to take – and left him to it. Kagome, Tony, and Loki suspected Steve would not live as long as they hoped he would, or what he was capable of living to, as he still had too big a heart and hadn’t coped with his friends’ deaths well. Kagome suspected that he would either sequester himself away from people as soon as it became clear that he would watch anyone he became friends with age and eventually die, or commit suicide. She knew what that was like, had come close to committing seppuku herself.

“What’s on your mind?” Kagome sighed at the rumbling voice in her ear.

“Just the past.” A clever tongue traced the shell of her ear.

“Now, you know you don't have to think back on that. We're here with you.” Kagome rolled her eyes.

“Yup, and we've been in here too long. I'm turning into a prune.” She grinned and stood, giving both her partners a good view. She climbed out of the hot spring, ignoring her companions’ groans, and bent over to pick up her towel. Splashing behind her signaled Tony and Loki hopping out of the spring as well and they all dressed quickly.

 

Later, when they were walking through the woods surrounding them with no clear destination in place, Kagome froze, looking up. Smiling, she looked at Loki from the corner of her eye, waiting for him to notice the new arrival. His emerald eyes widened and a nostalgic smile lit his face. Grinning, she told Tony that they had a visitor.

“Who?” Tony asked, confused, but not alarmed. Neither Kagome nor Loki were tense, instead welcoming.

“Thor.” Loki answered for her, now looking in the same direction as Kagome. Tony laughed gleefully as Thor once again made a crater as he landed. He straightened up, a large grin on his face.

“Brother! Friends! I bring you the most joyous of news!” Thor grinned widely, walking to the trio. They mentally sweat-dropped. Thor’s exuberance hadn’t diminished in the slightest over the years, and it was a strange comfort to Tony and Kagome. Shaking his head and smiling a little indulgently, Loki addressed his brother.

“What news?” Grinning wider, if that was even possible – Tony wondered how his face didn’t split in half – Thor bounded up to them.

“Father has permitted your return. You sentence is finished.” He looked at Tony and Kagome on either side of his brother. “Lady Kagome and Tony are allowed to come to your final hearing.” A dark smirk spread across Kagome’s face, creeping out the other three, even though Loki and Tony couldn’t see her face.

“Well what are we waiting for?” She exclaimed happily, a bright smile on her face and malice in her eyes. “Let’s go!” Thor, Tony and Loki shuddered, complying to her request. This was going to be very bad – or good, depending on your point of view.

 

Considering that Kagome had never been in Asgard before, and had definitely not ever travelled by the Rainbow Bridge, she was remarkably calm. Excited, yes, but in more of a restless way than amazed. Compared to Tony, who was constantly moving, muttering his theories to himself, and taking everything in with sharp eyes, Kagome was as still as a statue.

“Prince Thor and Prince Loki. Welcome back.” Heimdall intoned. His golden gaze shifted. “Welcome to you as well, Lady Kagome and Anthony Stark.” Kagome scowled playfully.

“Now, I’ve heard about you seeing all and all that, so I’m pretty sure you’ve heard me tell Thor to stop with the honorifics. The same applies to you.” She smiled. “Okay?” The Aesir nodded silently and said nothing more.

“Come, my Friends.” Thor beckoned, walking to the exit. “The road is quite long to the palace, so I have brought horses.” Kagome smiled, going up to one, stroking its neck and watching its eyes. It nudged its head to her affectionately. She giggled, but turned to Thor.

“It’s unnecessary. I want to get rid of some of this energy. Tony can have this one.” She said and waited patiently for everyone to be situated. Grinning excitedly, she bounced in place. “Ready? Let’s go.” She took off at a fast sprint, surprising them all into nudging their horses forward into a run. They caught up to her and were surprised when she looked at them, laughed delightedly and sped up even further.

As they sped through the city people gaped at the mysterious woman that ran ahead of the horses, which appeared be going as fast as they could. When they got the palace, Kagome decided to slow down a little. There was little chance that she would be let in without the Crown Prince accompanying her and she _really_ didn’t want a fight just yet.

“Kagome.” Tony groused as he and the other came to a stop next to her. “Was it really necessary to go speeding ahead like that?” She laughed, exhilarated from her run.

“Of course!” She grinned, watching as they dismounted and handed off the horses to stable hands. Quickly running up to the horses, she gave the one that liked her a goodbye pat and returned to the others, an expectant look on her face. “Are we going in then?” Shaking his head in amusement, Thor led them inside.

“Mother and Father will have been told of our arrival and are waiting in the throne room with the council for your hearing, Brother. I’m sure Tony and Kagome will be allowed to witness it.” He explained on the way, walking with all the assurance being Prince gave him until they came to a set of doors, two guards either side opening them for them to enter.

“Prince Thor, Prince Loki and two Midgardians, my King.” Someone announced quickly upon seeing them in the doorway. Their presence made known, Thor walked in, followed by Loki, with Kagome and Tony bringing up the back, walking side by side.

“My son.” Boomed the man sitting in a gaudy golden throne and wearing gold. Kagome assumed with distaste that this must be Odin. A beautiful woman sat next to him, also dressed in gold, with blond ringlets curled up in an elegant style, in a more modest chair. _And that,_ She thought with approval, _must be Frigga_. “Loki.” Odin greeted with noticeably less enthusiasm. Kagome was very aware of the tension running through Loki’s aura at the acknowledgement. The pompous king then announced to the gathered council that they were going to proceed with the hearing. She stiffened in shock and range. _How_ dare _he ignore me_? But she held her tongue. It wouldn’t do to condemn Loki now.

Loki and Tony both looked at her in apprehension when Odin ignored her, feeling the offense practically dripping off her. Thor took slightly longer to notice, but also winced as soon as her did. They all watched as the look on her features grow colder as the minutes passed where she was still not greeted.

“Ah, Father –” Thor tried.

“Thor, tell the council and myself how Loki has dealt with his punishment over the past years.” Odin interrupted. Sighing, Thor comforted himself with the thought that he’d tried to point out his father mistake, even if he was ignored.

“Incredibly well, Father. He gained many allies during his time on Midgard, even if some died from age or battle.” Odin raised a disbelieving eyebrow. The ones closest to her heard Kagome’s teeth grinding and inwardly cringed.

“Really?” He asked rhetorically. “And do you believe he has learned from this?” Thor smiled warmly.

“I believe that my brother has learned many things over the years, and is well liked.” The smile almost turned into a smirk at the understatement – well liked indeed. Loki nearly laughed at the comment. Odin seemed to deliberate for a very long time before turning to his council, consisting of merely eight people.

“Loki appears to have done well. Your verdict?” There were eight nods.

“Loki has served his sentence and is free.” Odin nodded and turned back to Loki.

“Congratulations, Loki. You’re free to travel where you wish.” Loki nodded graciously and turned to go. He then paused and inwardly groaned as Kagome immediately stepped forward and stared Odin down. He turned back, keeping his expression carefully blank. Thor and Tony didn’t bother with such restraint, openly grimacing. Odin returned her stare. “What is it, human?” Kagome didn’t respond and merely continued to stare. “Well?” He frowned when Kagome still didn’t reply. Thor finally decided to speak.

“Father, this is Kagome.” He introduced. Odin gave him a blank stare.

“Why should I care for her name?” Power sparked for a moment at Kagome’s fingertips. Odin turned back to her. “For the final time, what do you want, _Kagome_?” A cold smile wormed its way onto her face.

“That’s _Lady_ Kagome to you.” Scowling, Odin’s face slowly turned red as he replied in a tone that made it quite clear that he was restraining anger.

“How dare you address the King of Asgard that way?” Frigga glanced nervously at her husband.

“Dear –” She was interrupted by a dark laugh from Kagome as her hair began to sway gently and her eyes darkened to a stormy grey.

“Say that again, pathetic excuse for a father. I dare you.” She purred lethally, eyes narrowing. “You not only ignore _me_ , but you _dared_ to mentally scar one of my pack.” Not giving him a chance to retort, she nodded. “And yes, I’m talking about Loki – and Thor, to an extent. Let’s see,” She began, mock-thoughtful as she held up a hand and began ticking off her fingers. “You adopted Loki, instilled in him hatred for Jotunns – knowing that he was one, mind -, lied to him, allowed him to be ostracized and hated, and then tried to punish him for trying to do right by you. Now, it may not have been in the right way, but that was your fault for not explaining things properly and bringing him up in the way that you did. On top of all of that -” Kagome laughed humourlessly for a moment. “I think this is the best bit – you clearly favoured Thor, pitted the brothers against each other from the start, and then, when Thor should have been punished harsher than he was – no offense, Thor.” Thor shook his head.

“None taken, I know now that it should have been.” Kagome nodded.

“You left Loki to deal with being on the throne, which Frigga handed over to him, so she could take care of your pathetic arse, to deal with the harshest of truths being revealed to him in a less than ideal way. He was suffering from a mental breakdown and you, Frigga, just left him _alone_ to deal with it – and yes I’m blaming you, you know you deserve it. Your _son_ needed you more than this bastard and _you left him_.” Kagome howled at the queen, who look more than horrified. Kagome then turned her attention back to Odin, ignoring the stunned faces of everyone in the room, and lowered her voice to a sibilant whisper. “You may have woken up just in time to see the Rainbow Bridge shatter, but the only person you tried to save _really_ was Thor and I think that you know that Loki was hurting, was _desperate_ to please you and all you did,” Kagome fists clenched at her sides, “was tell him _no_. Was reject him and all that he stood for, all he felt for you, his efforts, _everything_!” Her aura became visible, rising off her like steam, her eyes beginning to take on a purple-pink glow. “You son of a bitch, _you nearly shattered him_!” Guards came running in to protect their king, surrounding Kagome, who glared at them all. “Don’t interfere.” She muttered, her clothes now swaying in her energy. “I’ll kill you.”

One of them didn’t listen and attacked, his spear aiming for her torso only for it to be stopped by a barrier, caught by Kagome and spun around quickly to face him. She supercharged it with reiki and glared at the guard, who swallowed nervously, but put a brave front up. Eyes narrowing, Kagome span the spear expertly in her hands before slamming the base down on the floor with a loud bang.

“Do you really want to die that much? I’m merely talking to your ‘King’ about something.” A sugar-sweet smile crossed her lips, completely at odds with the coldness in her eyes. “I’m sure your family want you safe, right?” She didn’t bother threatening him further, turning her attention back to Odin. She rose one eyebrow. “Anything to say in your own defense, you worthless being?” The Aesir in the room gaped at how she addressed their king, with the exception of Thor and, well, Loki wasn’t Aesir anyway. Tense in his seat, Odin narrowed his eyes at the woman in front of him, attempting to intimidate her.

“Who are you?” Kagome let out a dramatic gasp, one hand flying to her face.

“Oh my goodness! Could it be? The king of Asgard has finally found his manners?” She asked mockingly, false astonishment lacing her tone. “Well, seeing as you asked so nicely, I suppose I’ll tell you who I am.” She mused haughtily. “My name is Higurashi Kagome, Shikon no Miko, Destroyer of Naraku, Pack to Sesshoumaru-Sama and Mikasa-Sama, Lord and Lady of the West, and Inuyasha-Sama, Brother of Sesshoumaru-Sama. I am eternal, scorned, loved and _angry_.” With a low chuckle, she let her bangs cover her eyes. “Yes, this Kagome is so very angry. You hurt what is mine. That he was not mine when you hurt him doesn’t matter.” Odin rose an eyebrow.

“And why do you care so much?” Kagome looked up at him blankly.

“Because he is mine.” She said simply. The eyebrow twitched.

“But why do you care?” The blank look became slightly confused.

“What part of that don’t you understand? He is mine.” She cocked her head. Odin closed his eyes and breathed slowly to calm himself.

“How did he become yours?” Kagome’s blank look returned.

“I met Tony. Tony is mine. Tony met Loki. I met Loki. Loki is mine.” She didn’t really care that she was being deliberately difficult. She could hear Tony snickering quietly in the background and knew from Loki’s controlled breaths that he was quickly on the way there as well.

“You can’t simply own a person because you met them.” Odin protested firmly. “Loki isn’t even human.” Cocking her head further, Kagome narrowed her eyes.

“Why does that matter? Neither am I. Not even Tony is, anymore.” Then she snorted. “And I can too own a person. Were you not listening? Tony and Loki are mine.” She sent them a quick glance. “So is Thor, to a degree.” The king of Asgard slammed his hand down on the arm of his throne, making the council, Frigga, and Thor jump.

“You own no one! Thor is the Crown Prince of Asgard, Loki is also the Prince of Asgard. The one you call Tony belongs on Midgard.” He stated, and ignored the way that Loki, Thor and Tony became slightly alarmed. The spear in Kagome’s hand began to glow, even though her face was still blank.

“You are trying to separate me from them?” She asked lightly, nothing except the tightened grip on the glowing staff betraying her anger.

“No, for they never belonged to you in the first place.” Thor frowned.

“Enough, Father.” He said loudly, shocking the entire room. “Listen to her and do not be a fool. She said who she was – and I expect you to be able to recognize her for who she is.” Kagome stared at him. She had never expected that he, of all people, would jump to her defense. She knew that part of it was so that she wouldn’t kill the stupid king in front of her, but still. Odin scoffed.

“She is not important.” He dismissed. “The humans will return to Midgard and Thor and Loki will stay here.” He gestured and the guards that still loosely surrounded Kagome split into two groups, one half walking to Tony and the other shifting around so that Kagome was still surrounded.

“If you continue to ignore me and try to separate me from my Pack, you will suffer.” A feral, threatening snarl formed on her face, mirrored only slightly less threateningly in Tony and Loki. The guards hesitated on both sides and looked to Odin. Frigga, looking slightly panicked, put her hand on his arm and leaned into his ear.

“Hear them out, dear. The last thing we need is to lose both of our sons.” She whispered, sending a pointed look to Loki and Thor’s thunderous expressions. He sighed and waved off the guards. Kagome’s threatening snarl softened into a sickly smile.

“Good boy.” She purred. “Now, I suggest you actually listen to what I say. You may not like it, but I am far more powerful than you, Odin. I existed before you, and will exist long after you and your memory have vanished from this world.” She intoned, without preamble. “Don’t piss me off, Odin.”

Bristling, Odin asked, “And what of those you say you’ve claimed as yours? If what you say is true, they will also be long gone.” Kagome laughed, darkly delighted.

“Loki is the One Who Will Bring Ragnarok and will therefore live until the world ends. Tony has an extended life span due to Extremis and, of course, should it ever fail, I will be here to help with his ageing problem. Thor’s destiny is to be King of Asgard and therefore vulnerable to death – but I’m very used to my precious ones dying.” She shrugged uncomfortably. “But Tony and Loki separated from their original destiny the moment they met me – the others’ paths did not change extensively from meeting me. Their new destiny was to be as eternal as I, because I wish them to be.” Her words would have sounded arrogant, except the calm iciness in her eyes, and her matter-of-fact tone. “They are Pack, and have my eternal devotion.” Her eyes brightened with sly amusement and a wry smirk tugged at her lips. “Of course, being my God, Loki has my devotion anyway.” All eyes turned to Loki, who ignored them and gave Kagome a smoldering look.

“Darling, I thought that was going to be kept a secret.” He chided playfully. Kagome fluttered her eyelashes and smiled mischievously, shrugging.

“Well Thor already knows, so I thought why not?” A faintly malicious look passed her eyes. “I wanted to rub it in their faces, and there’s nothing they can do about it.” She sighed, and continued in a loving tone, “I will slaughter them all if they try, and hand this flat world to you and Tony.” Thor smiled bemusedly as he watched his brother and friend practically melt into puddles. He wasn’t particularly concerned with the threat – he knew Kagome would never go through with it, even though she was capable, because there were people that hadn’t actually done anything to her and hers. But the threat was for the sake of his hard-headed father and council, and for the sake of teasing Loki and Tony. He was well aware of how the two men felt about Kagome being able to easily kill someone as powerful as Odin on her own, and the fact that she wouldn’t – not unless he threatened them.

“How dare you threaten us?” Odin boomed, face turning red. “Guards!” Kagome turned to watch as the guards ran at her. She smirked as she allowed her power to leak from her, forming a large barrier. Her hair and clothing swayed as she let the monster behind her eyes roam free. She turned to look at Odin.

“Tut, tut. Don’t you know who I am? If you send them after me again, I’ll kill them.” She sing-songed, watching Odin bristle. Frigga put her hand on her husband’s arm again.

“Enough. Guards, leave.” They hesitated before obeying their queen. Kagome tilted her head to look at the woman. “Kagome-Sama, please forgive my husband. He doesn’t spend nearly enough time in the palace libraries.” She smiled warmly. Kagome frowned back at her, not impressed or mollified by her words.

“If you knew, then why did you not interfere sooner? Why did I need to –” The complacent calm on Frigga’s face did not change.

“My apologies, Kagome-Sama, it took me several moments for me to realise who you were, and then Odin made the situation worse.” Kagome looked her up and down, looking for a single crack in her calm. There was none. However, there were no signs of her telling the truth either. She scowled. What she was saying was insincere and she would not stand to be lied to. Kagome’s power exploded out of her, whipping everyone’s clothes and hair back and forth.

“Liar.” She muttered, staring into Frigga’s eyes with her monster prowling behind her own. “You’re just trying to do damage control. Do not dare to presume to lie to me!” She stalked forward, waiting for that crack in the woman’s mask. Before she could get close, however, Loki was in front of her, concern written all over his face. Tony was closer than before too, and was watching them closely.

“Please, Kagome…” Kagome smiled gently at the pleading words. Raising her hand, she stroked her lovers’ cheek.

“Silly Loki,” She said affectionately. “I’m not going to kill your mother. Just going to give her a few lessons in manners.” Loki rolled his eyes in response, going back to where Tony stood and wrapping his arms around the inventor from behind, settling in to watch the show. Kagome continued on to Frigga, who tensed and tried to subtly shift backwards in her seat. “You know, Frigga, it’s usually considered polite to greet your guests properly. I also heard that once your guest introduces themselves, you actually have permission to ask them questions about who they are. However,” She intoned, her eyes, dark and forbidding, watching Frigga’s widened and her face pale. “Lying to your guest is absolutely unforgivable!” She leaned forward, her face close to Frigga’s. “Did you know, Frigga?” Kagome whispered. “If you listen to people once in a while, you may learn important things. Things like who people are, and if people are suffering.”

Frigga tried to fix her with an imperious look. “I am the Queen of Asgard. My job is to know who people are and to ease their suffering.” Kagome’s eyes narrowed and she leaned even closer with a low, humourless chuckle.

“Okay then,” Kagome murmured, “I dare you to see if I am suffering.” Her eyes blazed. “Who am I?” Frigga looked her straight in the eye calmly. She appeared to be confused for a moment before she paled sharply and her shoulder’s sagged.

“I understand.” She breathed, before speaking louder. “Higurashi Kagome, Miko of the Shikon no Tama, among other titles, and all that is eternal in this world.” She intoned grimly, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them and looking at her husband, who looked both confused and furious. “We have made many mistakes, my love, and we must atone for them.” Kagome stepped back and turned away, moving to Tony, Loki and Thor. She looked solemn instead of the victorious satisfaction they’d been expected, eyes weighed down with a tiredness that Tony and Loki didn’t see often, mostly when they left her alone for too long and she got too deep in thought. When she reached them, they gave her concerned looks and gentle touches, and she reassured them with a soft smile that turned strained as she looked back to Odin and Frigga.

“Look, I’m not asking for much. Learn from your mistakes, both with your sons, and with me.” Frigga nodded once.

“We will. For now, you and your pack can roam as they like in Asgard. I’m sure we will see each other again, hopefully,” She said, giving a quick glare to Odin, who pretended to ignore it as if his stomach hadn’t just leapt into his throat, “without the mess that this turned out to be.” Thor, Loki, Tony and Kagome nodded, the blond-haired prince led the three from the room.

 

Loki turned to Tony and Kagome, looking at them cautiously. “Were not actually going to stay here, are we?” Kagome laughed as Tony denied it vehemently.

“No. Absolutely not.” Still laughing, Kagome slipped her arms through the two mens’ arms and dragged them to the Rainbow Bridge with her.

“Let’s go home then – unless you want to explore the other worlds.” Tony perked up in interest, but then deflated.

“No, we’d need to prepare and we don’t have anything with us.” Loki shrugged.

“Fair enough. Home, then?” They nodded in agreement, and Kagome’s face lit up with a devious smirk.

“I hope we do come back some day though – I still want to chew out Odin – I wasn’t finished with him yet – he did insult me after all.” Tony and Loki shuddered, both in arousal and in sympathy for the poor man. They knew what happened when people that were already on Kagome’s shit list insulted her.

Feeling them shudder, Kagome laughed loudly, with a touch of mischief, as she pulled her two lovers behind her.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! It's the first time I've done an Avengers story, so please have patience. To be honest, I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out, so I'll be uploading more soon.... hopefully. ;)
> 
> BP


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